Severo Moto Nsá: «This coup intrigue only serves those who need it.»

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afrol News, 11 March - Zimbabwean Minister of Home Affairs, Kembo Mohadi, has accused the intelligence services of the USA, Britain and Spain of aiding the group of 67 suspected mercenaries arrested in Harare on Sunday. He says they had been paid by Equatoguinean exiled opposition leader Severo Moto Nsa to carry out a coup in Malabo.

Minister Mohadi made these statements in Harare yesterday evening, supporting the theory formerly launched by the government of Equatorial Guinea. In that country's capital, Malabo, heavily armed police and military forces still are rounding up foreigners believed to be involved in the alleged coup plan, who supposedly were to obtain help from the "mercenaries" arrested on Harare Airport.

- From Zimbabwe the plane was expected to fly straight to Malabo ... landing in Malabo in the early hours of Monday the 8th of March, Minister Mohadi told the press in Harare. "On landing the group was expected to be joined by co-conspirators already in Malabo to stage a coup to remove President Obiang from power," he added, quoting alleged confessions from the "mercenaries".

Mr Mohadi went on explaining that Mr Moto, a controversial Equatoguinean opposition leader exiled in Spain, had hired the "mercenaries" to do the job. Mr Moto and the "mercenaries" had received logistic aid from the secret services of the US, the UK and Spain, he said. This had included the rental of the aircraft and providing satellite communication system to link up Mr Moto with the group.

The accusations by the Zimbabwean Minister of Home Affairs caused immediate protests from Europe and America. Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio has instructed her Ambassador in Harare to present a formal protest to the Zimbabwean government over the accusations, according to the Spanish Office of Diplomatic Information.

Also US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher on various occasions has emphasises that "there is no US government connection to the seized plane or its passengers." The London government has yet to make a statement concerning the accusations.

In Equatorial Guinea, the government of dictator Teodoro Obiang Nguema defends the same theories as the Harare government. A government spokesman in Malabo already on Monday said the "mercenaries" detained in Zimbabwe had been on their way to his country. This had become clear through the interrogation of 18 foreigners - alleged "mercenaries" - detained in Malabo.

State radio in Malabo yesterday aired an interview with President Obiang, were the Equatoguinean strongman claimed to have proof that the suspected mercenaries arrested in Malabo were linked to those persons detained in Zimbabwe. "A group of mercenaries entered the country and was studying plans to carry out a coup d'état in Equatorial Guinea," President Obiang said.

The Equatoguinean government however was able to ward off the alleged coup plot through a large-scale military action against foreigners in the country. According to President Obiang, he had been tipped off by "the South African president who warned us that a group of mercenaries was heading towards Equatorial Guinea," and the Angolan government. "That is what I expect of friendly countries," he added.

President Obiang further claimed to know that the action had been organised by Mr Moto from Madrid and that it had been funded "by enemy powers and by multi-national companies." He did not name any of these countries, however.

On Equatoguinean state television, the alleged "leader of the mercenaries" - a South African citizen - was put on the air. The "coup leader" said the group had planned to force President into Spanish exile "and then of immediately installing the government-in-exile of Severo Moto Nsa."

The Malabo government has demanded the extradition of Mr Moto from Spain for his part in the alleged coup attempt. The leader of the exiled Progress Party had already in 1997 been accused of trying to stage a coup against President Obiang - since that most opposition leaders in the country have been accused of plotting against the government.

Mr Moto, on the other hand, in a press statement has denied any connection to the alleged coup plot. Early rumours saying he had recently been in South Africa - where he allegedly prepared the operation - were also proven to be false.

- I have no relations at all to South Africa, to the mercenaries detained in Equatorial Guinea or to Zimbabwe, Mr Moto yesterday told the press in Madrid. The exiled opposition leader said he trusted Spanish authorities to also reject this second extradition request by the Equatoguinean government.

Mr Moto, in agreement with many other Equatoguinean opposition members, doubts the validity of the entire "coup intrigue". A few weeks ahead of the legislative elections, the event "only serves those who need it." The government is using the alleged coup to crackdowns on the opposition and fill the streets with soldiers and police, the opposition notes.

By staff writers

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