US accused of coordinating terror campaign in Zimbabwe!

The United States was accused of coordinating a terror campaign to fast-track Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai into power.

The accusation was made by the Bulawayo daily, Chronicle, which said the MDC was planning to bomb strategic buildings in Harare and Bulawayo to invoke civil unrest and pave the way for military intervention by Britain and the United States.

The paper said the terrorist attack was being co-ordinated by a ‘political affairs’ officer at the U. S. Embassy.

A US embassy official said the paper specialised in bizarre unsigned articles that relied exclusively on anonymous sources.

The official said the current editor, Stephen Ndlovu, was a protégé of Information Minister Jonathan Moyo.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 02HARARE965, MEDIA REPORT — U.S. ACCUSED OF COORDINATING

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS HARARE 000965

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND

SCHALACHTER. AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI

FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM

SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT — U.S. ACCUSED OF COORDINATING

TERROR CAMPAIGN IN ZIMBABWE

¶1.   The lead story in the April 22 edition of the

government-controlled “Chronicle” accuses the

opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) of

“planning a massive terrorist attack” in Harare and

Bulawayo in a move “to invoke civil unrest and pave way

for military intervention by Britain and the United

States.” The “exclusive” article, based on information

from nameless sources and authored by an anonymous

“Chronicle Reporter,” alleges that the planned

“terrorist attack” is being “co-ordinated by a

‘political affairs’ officer at the U.S. Embassy.”

Under headline “Extreme terror!: Buildings to be

bombed; March to State House on cards,” the paper

reports:

¶2.   “The opposition MDC, is planning a massive

terrorist attack that will bring down some tall

buildings in Harare and Bulawayo in a series of

bombings, as the increasingly desperate opposition

party steps up its campaign to fast-track Mr. Morgan

Tsvangirai into power by creating a ‘crisis,’ Chronicle

has learnt. Sources within MDC’s national executive

said plans are at an advanced stage to start bombing

strategic buildings in the major cities to invoke civil

unrest and pave way for military intervention by

Britain and the U.S. Targeted are five buildings in

Harare and three in Bulawayo and MDC teams were putting

‘final touches’ to the terrorist attack being co-

ordinated by a ‘political affairs’ officer at the U. S.

Embassy. Sources privy to the details of the plan

dubbed ‘massive economic sabotage’ said the scheme had

been unanimously voted for by MDC’s national executive

at their meeting last week.”

¶3.   Comment: The Bulawayo-based, government-owned

“Chronicle” frequently publishes outlandish “news”

stories that have no basis in fact. The paper

specializes in bizarre unsigned articles that rely

exclusively on anonymous sources. Current editor

Stephen Ndlovu is the third person to hold that

position in the last year, and is a protg of

Information Minister Jonathan Moyo. The “Chronicle’s”

circulation has dropped by nearly 50 percent in the 18

months, with current circulation at about 25,000 copies

per day. End comment.

WHITEHEAD

D

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