US embassy cable - 02HARARE965

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