Categories: Stories

Witness implicates US in Mugabe assassination plot

A key state witness in the trial of Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s treason trial said the United States government new about the alleged assassination plot of President Robert Mugabe because one of the participants at his meetings with Tsvangirai was a Central Intelligence Agency official.

Ari Ben Menashe said this during the trial of Tsvangirai who was charged with treason for allegedly plotting to assassinate Mugabe before the 2002 presidential elections.

He said participants in the alleged conspiracy to rid Zimbabwe of Robert Mugabe included former President Clinton, the Jewish community in America and the CIA, among others.

 

Full cable:

 

Viewing cable 03HARARE264, GOVERNMENT WITNESS IMPLICATES U.S.

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Reference ID

Created

Released

Classification

Origin

03HARARE264

2003-02-06 11:39

2011-08-30 01:44

UNCLASSIFIED

Embassy Harare

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

UNCLAS HARARE 000264

 

SIPDIS

 

DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/PDPA

 

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: KPAO PREL ZI

SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT WITNESS IMPLICATES U.S.

GOVERNMENT IN ALLEGED ASSASSINATION PLOT

 

REF: Harare 259, Harare 230

 

1.   The February 6 edition of the government-owned

“Herald” newspaper reports that Ari Ben-Menashe, the

government’s star witness in the treason trial of

opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and two other

opposition leaders, claimed in court that he believed

the U.S. Government knew of the alleged assassination

plot against Robert Mugabe and that he believed that a

participant in one of his meetings with Tsvangirai was

a CIA official. The “Herald” plays these claims to

the hilt, running the page-one story under the banner

headline “Key Witness Names CIA.” Copies of the

article have been faxed to AF/S and AF/PDPA.

 

2.   According to Mr. Ben Menashe, participants in

the alleged conspiracy to rid Zimbabwe of Robert

Mugabe now include former President Clinton, the

“Jewish community in America” and the CIA, among a

long and generalized list of other groups and

individuals. Mr. Ben-Menashe offers Defense attorney

George Bizos fertile ground for cross-examination.

 

SULLIVAN

 

(69 VIEWS)

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

Recent Posts

Can the ZiG sustain its rally against the US dollar?

Zimbabwe’s battered currency, the Zimbabwe Gold, which was under attack until the central bank devalued…

November 10, 2024

Will Mnangagwa go against the trend in the region?

Plans by the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front to push President Emmerson Mnangagwa to…

October 22, 2024

The Zimbabwe government and not saboteurs sabotaging ZiG

The Zimbabwe government’s insatiable demand for money to satisfy its own needs, which has exceeded…

October 20, 2024

The Zimbabwe Gold will regain its value if the government does this…

Economist Eddie Cross says the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) will regain its value if the government…

October 16, 2024

Is Harare the least democratic province in Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, which is a metropolitan province, is the least democratic province in the…

October 11, 2024

Zimbabweans against extension of presidential term in office

Nearly 80% of Zimbabweans are against the extension of the president’s term in office, according…

October 11, 2024