Zimbabwe says seizes U.S. plane, "mercenaries"

Reuters | March 8, 2004

[HAL9000]

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has seized a U.S.-registered cargo plane with 64 suspected mercenaries of various nationalities and a cargo of "military material", Home Affairs (Interior) Minister Kembo Mohadi said on Monday.

"A United States of America-registered Boeing 727-100 cargo plane was detained last night at about 19:30 hours at Harare International Airport after its owners had made a false declaration of its cargo and crew," Mohadi said in a statement.

[InShanghai]

A google search revealed that recently:

US Turns Screws On Zimbabwe's Ruling Elite

and

Zimbabwe condemns wider sanctions

Could be leveraging?

[VeniVidiVici]

I say either the Frogs or the Zimbobs are full of it. Probably the latter.

I call BS on this one. To convenient and obvious.

[Clive]

I can't make anything of this.

It doesn't smell right. I have trouble visualizing a merc deployment through Harare International in a US registered aircraft.

Anything that I might guess would be wild speculation, from a Zimbabwe CIO disinformation campaign to an Executive Outcomes or Sandline merc operation hired by the Oppenheimer family.

In any event, Zimbabwe would be a logistics nightmare for an external merc or special forces operation.

[jimt]

Bump.

[Riley]

I wonder what the odds are that this is the same 727 that went missing a while ago from Luanda?

Even if it isn't, the fact that it is US registered, assuming that that IS a fact at all, might not be at all significant. I am given to understand that a lot of aircraft worldwide are US registered for business reasons.

I'd venture to say that if (big 'if') this story has any veracity, we can expect to see a lot of pictures of the aircraft and its occupants piped out through whatever media sources.

[drunknsage]

Didn't the Israeli special ops once use a plan involving planes in a hostage rescue?

Sounds to me like Tom Clancy gone bad.

Any more news on this?

[Quilla]

From CNN:

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Zimbabwe's government says it has put its army on full alert after seizing a U.S.-registered cargo plane that officials say was carrying 64 suspected mercenaries and a cargo of military gear.

In Washington, a U.S. State Department spokesman said the aircraft had no connection to the U.S. government, and the company listed as the plane's owner said the aircraft was sold recently.

The Boeing 727 was impounded Sunday evening in the capital Harare after authorities concluded its owners had falsely declared the cargo and passengers, who were taken into custody, police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena told CNN on Tuesday.

"An investigation to establish the true identities of the men and their ultimate mission is under way," he said. "A full statement will be issued in due course."

A government official who declined to be identified told Reuters: "We have mobilized all our security organs to get to the bottom of this case."

The jet's owner is listed in U.S. aviation records as Dodson Aviation based in Rantoul, Kansas.

Reached at a Dodson facility in South Africa, company spokesman Jim Pippin said the plane was sold to Logo Logistics in South Africa, although CNN did not immediately find a listing for the company in the national telephone directory.

The plane's exact itinerary remained uncertain Tuesday, but authorities told CNN the jet made stops in South Africa at Lanseria Airport, west of Johannesburg, and at Wonderboom Airport, north of Pretoria.

Pippin also said the plane stopped in Pietersburg to pick up a transponder, used for tracking aircraft.

U.S. officials told CNN's Charlayne Hunter-Gault the plane was headed to Equatorial Guinea.

But Pippin said Dodson Aviation was told the passengers were involved in mining operation in Burundi.

Washington critical
Zimbabwe's Home Affairs Ministry said the aircraft was carrying military gear. Items displayed for reporters included camouflage uniforms, an inflatable dinghy, portable radios and tools such as bolt cutters, but there was no indication that the aircraft carried any weapons.

Bvudzijena said those held were of "various nationalities." Sources told CNN those on board included South Africans, Angolans and Congolese.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the U.S. Embassy in Harare was looking into the matter, though there was no indication Americans were among those held.

The United States has been very critical of the government of Zimbabwe and especially President Robert Mugabe.

The United States has accused the Zimbabwe government of waging "a concerted campaign of violence, repression and intimidation, showing its disregard for human rights, the rule of law and the welfare of its citizens."

Earlier this month, Washington imposed new targeted sanctions on several companies owned by members of the Zimbabwe government.

Mugabe has led Zimbabwe since independence in 1980 but has drawn sharp criticism over many of his policies, including what many claim are human rights abuses targeting the opposition. (Full story)

Zimbabwe says army is on full alert after seizing U.S.-registered plane carrying 64 suspected mercenaries and a cargo of military gear.

[Former Proud Canadian]

I guess Mugabe hasn't kept up on current events. A handful of special forces and Marines could settle his hash in a week. Be careful pulling the tiger's tail, Bob.

[piasa]

Related case?

JUNE 13, 2003 : (STOLEN BOEING 727 CASE) All of a sudden, it become obvious  that the US government has launched an intensive intelligence campaign to find a Boeing 727-200 passenger jet that mysteriously disappeared from Angola's Luanda airport three weeks ago. Since then, the plane's status has discussed every morning in meetings at various intelligence agencies and congressional intelligence committees. While the mainstream press describes the US efforts to locate the missing airliner as "secret', the mystery was first mentioned in the Angolan press on May 28th.
It's also not clear who, or how many people were on board or even who actually owns the plane. The plane's last known registration was for the US (N844AA). The aircraft was built in 1975 and originally operated by American Airlines until late 2001. Her latest registered owner was an aircraft leasing firm based in Miami, Florida, but press efforts to contact the firm were unsuccessful. While firms are legally obliged to inform the Federal Aviation Agency of address changes and any transfers in aircraft ownership, that doesn't always happen and the possibility the plane may have been sold to foreigners.
Some American government officials said the plane belongs to an American living in South Africa, who leased the aircraft to others. Other sources claim that the plane was brought to Angola by a firm called Air Angola, which is owned by a group of current and former high-ranking military officials.  - "INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS: The Mysterious Missing 727 ," http://www.strategypage.com/fyeo/howtomakewar/default.asp?target=HTINTEL.HTM

[piasa]

Some American government officials said the plane belongs to an American living in South Africa, who leased the aircraft to others. Other sources claim that the plane was brought to Angola by a firm called Air Angola, which is owned by a group of current and former high-ranking military officials. - "INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS: The Mysterious Missing 727 ," http://www.strategypage.com/fyeo/howtomakewar/default.asp?target=HTINTEL.HTM From March 2004 CNN report in another's post above:

...Reached at a Dodson facility in South Africa, company spokesman Jim Pippin said the plane was sold to Logo Logistics in South Africa, although CNN did not immediately find a listing for the company in the national telephone directory....
...U.S. officials told CNN's Charlayne Hunter-Gault the plane was headed to Equatorial Guinea. But Pippin said Dodson Aviation was told the passengers were involved in mining operation in Burundi.... ...Bvudzijena said those held were of "various nationalities." Sources told CNN those on board included South Africans, Angolans and Congolese.

Interesting.

What do they mine in Burundi these days?

Uranium and nickel?

[piasa]

Zimbabwe charges 'mercenary' men


Military equipment was reportedly found on the impounded plane
Zimbabwe has charged 60 men, alleged to be mercenaries, with immigration and firearms violations, their lawyer says.
The men were detained after their plane was impounded in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare eight days ago.

Zimbabwe has accused the group of planning a coup in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea. A government minister has said the men could face the death penalty.

Lawyer Jonathan Samkange said a further 10 men would be charged on Monday, adding the men denied all the charges.

He said the men claimed they knew nothing of an alleged coup and had been hired to work as security guards in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Zimbabwean officials had said that the charges against them would include destabilising an independent and sovereign government.

However, Mr Samkange said Zimbabwe did not have a law under which alleged offenders could be prosecuted for an attempted coup in another country, Reuters reported.

Talks


It wasn't a question of taking the life of the head of state but of spiriting him away

Nick du Toit
alleged mercenary leader


Equatorial Guinea: Ripe for coup
Who are the detained men?
On Thursday, Equatorial Guinea Deputy Foreign Minister Jose Esono Micha also asked South Africa for help in the trial of another 15 suspected mercenaries arrested in Equatorial Guinea.

The 15 men seized in Equatorial Guinea were reportedly involved in the same alleged plot.

The company which chartered the plane impounded in Zimbabwe said they had stopped in Harare en route to Burundi and DR Congo where they were due to provide security services for a mine.

But Zimbabwe and South Africa both suspect that the men were part of a plot to overthrow the president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

Harare has accused the men of working for US, British and Spanish intelligence agencies, claims which all three countries have denied.

History of coups

The group of detained men consisted of about 20 South Africans, and also Angolans, Namibians, Congolese, one Zimbabwean national and a British national, South African newspapers reported.


Equatorial Guinea and its president have a long history of coups

Equatorial Guinea's president said South Africa had warned him that a group of mercenaries was heading for his country and he suggested that they had had foreign backing of hostile foreign powers and multinational firms.

A man said to be the leader of the "mercenaries" has appeared on Equatorial Guinea state television to say that they had been part of a plot to remove Mr Obiang and put an exiled opposition leader in power.

"It wasn't a question of taking the life of the head of state but of spiriting him away, taking him to Spain and forcing him into exile and then of immediately installing the government-in-exile of Severo Moto Nsa," said the alleged coup leader, introduced as Nick du Toit, according to a transcript released by AFP news agency.

In Spain, Mr Moto, who led a failed coup bid in Equatorial Guinea in 1997, denied any role in the alleged plot but also launched a blistering attack on President Obiang, who himself took power in a coup in 1979.

[piasa]

The source for #31 is : BBC News, March 15, 2004, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3511646.stm

[piasa]

No mercenary charges against 64 men, tiscali news, http://www.tiscali.co.za/tiscali/news/news_story.jsp?content=116328


Harare and Johannesburg, March 11

Officials from Equatorial Guinea arrived in Zimbabwe to discuss the men who are detained as suspected mercenaries and accused of wanting to topple the government. So far only charges relating to immigration, firearms and aviation offences have been considered against the men.
"I can confirm to you that, yes, a delegation from Equatorial Guinea has arrived in Harare," said Pavelyn Musaka, a spokesperson for Zimbabwe's foreign ministry.

She said the delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Jose Esono Micha, who earlier on Thursday spoke to President Thabo Mbeki and Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in Pretoria.

On Sunday Zimbabwean authorities detained a Boeing 727 carrying 64 suspected soldiers of fortune. They were said to be on their way to join an advance party of 15 mercenaries arrested in Equatorial Guinea.

The spokesperson did not elaborate on the purpose of the visit, but Zimbabwe's ZIANA news agency said the delegation was in Zimbabwe to investigate the suspects detained in Harare - the 64 aboard the plane and three men who went to meet them.

Bharat Patel, Zimbabwe's acting attorney general, spoke on state radio and did not refer to any laws dealing with mercenaries, treason or national security. But he said final details of the charges against the men "have yet to be worked out with the relevant law enforcement agencies".

He named contraventions under the Aviation Act, the Firearms Act and also in relation to immigration laws. These are regarded as relatively minor offences carrying penalties of fines or short terms in prison.

Patel made no reference to the extensive battery of national security legislation dealing with attempted insurrection, terrorism, treason, espionage or mercenaries.

Legal experts said Patel's reference to the Firearms Act was the first indication that any of the group may have possessed any weapons.

Until now, officials have been saying no weaponry was found on the aircraft. What they described as "military equipment" on board appeared to refer to brightly coloured rucksacks, boots and sleeping bags.

Meanwhile, the SA Police Service is also investigating the facts surrounding the Boeing's arrival in South Africa on Saturday and its reportedly illegal departure the next day for Harare, Bujumbura in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, said Senior Superintendent Selby Bokaba.

Logo Logistics Limited, the British employer of the men arrested in Harare, was arranging legal representation for them on Thursday, said Charles Burrow, the company's senior executive.

[Sapa-AFP and Sapa]

[piasa]

This is getting weirder and weirder- Mugabe nervous after Haiti, perhaps?

Zimbabwe -- Cathy Buckle -- Of bolt Cutters and an Orange Boat

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!