Article

2004-03-11 Africa: Subsaharan

Zimbabwe Says Western Agencies Aided 'Mercenaries'

Zimbabwe's government Wednesday accused U.S., British and Spanish spy agencies of helping dozens of suspected mercenaries detained this week in Harare in a plot against Equatorial Guinea's government. "They were aided by the British secret service, that is MI6, ... American Central Intelligence Agency and the Spanish secret service," said Zimbabwe's Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi, reading a prepared statement at a news conference.

"Plots! Deep-laid plots!"

He said the heads of the police and army in the tiny but oil-rich central African nation of Equatorial Guinea had gone along with the plot against the government of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. "The Western intelligence services persuaded Equatorial Guinea's service chiefs not to put up any resistance, but to cooperate with the coup plotters," Mohadi said. He said the heads of the two services had been promised posts in a post-coup Cabinet as a reward.

"See there! That's a deep-laid plot if I ever saw one! And I've lived in Zimbabwe all my life, I know deep-laid plots, believe you me. "

The Zimbabwean government of President Robert Mugabe did not immediately offer any evidence to support its accusations of the involvement of Western intelligence agencies.

"We don't need no stinking proof!"

Mohadi said Zimbabwean authorities had obtained the information from Simon Mann, who was detained in Zimbabwe Sunday as he waited to meet a plane carrying 64 men who were held as suspected mercenaries. Zimbabwe claims Mann is a former member of Britain's elite Special Air Services.

Posted by Steve White 2004-03-11 12:28:21 AM|| || Front Page|| [11129 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Dictatorships, particular left wing ones, need conspiracy stories.

I predict a few more from Zim

Posted by Bernardz 2004-3-11 7:58:08 AM|| 2004-3-11 7:58:08 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 I'm surprised that Zimbabwe's government would make this claim before our "US Deposed Haiti's Legal President" Congressional lobby made the claim.

Posted by Highlander 2004-3-11 9:31:40 AM|| 2004-3-11 9:31:40 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Well, Kembo, if I was you, I'd be a little bit nervous about that. I'd at least move my secret bank accounts with the graft money in 'em out of the country.

Posted by tu3031 2004-3-11 10:58:44 PM|| 2004-3-11 10:58:44 PM|| Front Page Top

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