VIDEO: Court To Decide Warrant For Sudan`s Bashir

Bashir dismisses the allegations as part of a Western conspiracy.

International Criminal Court judges are expected to announce an arrest warrant for Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir for orchestrating a campaign of genocide in Darfur, which could spark further regional turmoil.

The announcement on Wednesday by the ICC, the world's first permanent court for prosecuting war crimes, is being closely watched as it could hurt prospects of a peace deal in the region, and pit Western powers against backers of Sudan's regime.

Last month, U.N. diplomats and officials told Reuters the ICC had decided to go ahead and issue an arrest warrant for the the most senior figure pursued by the Hague-based court since it was set up in 2002.

Bashir dismisses the allegations as part of a Western conspiracy. China, the African Union and the Arab League all suggest an indictment could destabilise the region, worsen the Darfur conflict and threaten a troubled peace deal between north Sudan and the semi-autonomous south.

"They will issue their decision tomorrow ... this coming decision, they can prepare right now: they can eat it (the warrant)," Bashir told a crowd of cheering supporters in northern Sudan on Tuesday.

The court's Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo accuses Bashir of orchestrating a campaign of genocide in Sudan's western region of Darfur, starting in 2003. Ocampo has said 35,000 people were killed outright and at least 100,000 more through starvation and disease.

"5,000 people are dying each month," Moreno-Ocampo told reporters ahead of the announcement.

"We have strong evidence against Mr. Bashir," he said. "More than 30 different witnesses will present how he managed to control everything. We have strong evidence of his intention."

Tensions have risen in Sudan as it awaits the decision, and some Western embassies have warned their citizens of the potential for violent protests if Bashir is charged.

Sudan has asked that any move to issue an arrest warrant for Bashir be deferred for a year to give the government time to negotiate a peace deal in Darfur.

Moreno-Ocampo requested the warrant for Bashir last July, making him the third sitting head of state to be charged by an international court following Liberia's Charles Taylor and Yugoslavia's Slobodan Milosevic.

Both were forced from power and brought in front of international tribunals in the Hague.

Watch the VIDEO: Darfur genocide charges possible.