Articles | Zimbabwe police seize diplomats

Zimbabwe police seize UK diplomats

Published: Thursday, 5 June 2008, 3:45PM

Politicians in Britain and the US have expressed outrage after diplomats were seized at gunpoint in Zimbabwe.

Four Britons, five Americans and two Zimbabweans were held for several hours after their convoy was stopped at a roadblock on Thursday morning.

All embassy staff were later released unharmed but a Zimbabwean driver employed by the US embassy was beaten up.

About 40 soldiers, military intelligence staff and war veterans loyal to embattled president Robert Mugabe reportedly stopped and detained several vehicles and slashed the tyres to try to stop them from driving away.

The convoy was visiting alleged victims of political violence in the town of Bindura, about 28 miles north of Harare the capital of the troubled southern African state, said US ambassador James McGee.

He added: "Police put up a roadblock, stopped the vehicles, slashed the tyres, reached in and grabbed telephones from my personnel, and the war veterans (Mugabe's supporters) threatened to burn the vehicles with my people inside unless they got out and accompanied police to a station nearby.

"We do believe this is coming directly from the top. Zimbabwe has become a lawless country."

The Foreign Office summoned Zimbabwe's ambassador in London to explain the incident, the Prime Minister's spokesman said.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband: "I'm pleased to say that they are all safe and sound and unharmed and there was no violence involved in the incident.

"But obviously it's a serious incident and one we have to take seriously.

"I think that it gives us a window into the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans, because this sort of intimidation is something that is suffered daily, especially by those who are working with opposition groups."

The White House called the incident "outrageous" and demanded the Zimbabwean government explain its actions.

Zimbabwe's deputy information minister Bright Matonga claimed the diplomats were stopped after attending a rally of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.

He said: "They were asked to disembark from the vehicle. They refused, and basically the police told them they were not going anywhere unless they got out of the car.

"The police told them they were not going anywhere and they should respect the laws of the country, unless they have something to hide."

Mr Mugabe's government later indefinitely suspended all work by aid groups and non-governmental organisations, accusing a number of breaching their terms of registration.