Right-Wing Group Claims Soweto Blasts (South Africa)

BBC News ^ | November 11, 2002 | BBC News

[Red Jones]

Right-wing group claims Soweto blasts

The suspects named by police are from a different group

A previously unknown South African group has claimed responsibility for a series of bombings in the black township of Soweto two weeks ago. The "Warriors of the Boer Nation" sent an e-mail to the Afrikaans language "Beeld" newspaper saying it had planted the bombs which killed a woman and injured her husband on 30 October.

These attacks are the beginning of the end for the African National Congress (ANC) government

"Warriors of the Boer Nation" The government has previously blamed the attacks on white extremists and, over the weekend, South African police released the names of six men they want to question.

The six men named by the police are believed to be part of another group, Boeremag, or Boer Force, whose leader, Thomas Vogel Vorster, was arrested last month.

The men, Jan Gouws, Gerhardus Visagie, Herman van Rooyen and brothers Kobus, Johan and Wilhelm Pretorius, all face charges of high treason, terrorism and sabotage, said South African police chief Jackie Selebie.

"We declare that these attacks are the beginning of the end for the African National Congress (ANC) government and accept full responsibility for it," said the message from "Warriors of the Boer Nation".

The letter was also accompanied by the organisation's coat of arms: an upside-down green shield with a sword, flanked by the flags of the old Boer republic and its Afrikaans slogan: "Moenie vrees nie, wees sterk en vol moed" (Don't fear, be strong and have courage), AFP reports.

A mosque was one of the buildings bombed

The group also demanded the release of 35 right-wingers, including Mr Vorster, arrested in connection with a plot to overthrow the government.

Police spokeswoman Sally de Beer told the French news agency, AFP, that they were looking into the claim.

"We are busy investigating the veracity of this letter. We are looking at its origins and are taking it very seriously," she said.

A mosque was also severely damaged and several railway lines between Soweto and Johannesburg destroyed - an act which caused commuter chaos.

South African Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota said last week that he suspected the men were former members of the army and police attempting to start a "race war".

"It certainly does not represent the majority of Afrikaners... but a residue within the South African National Defence Force [SANDF] and the South African Police Service," he said.

[Red Jones]

I'm not from South Africa, but I'm pretty sure that a large percentage of the whites in South Africa would say that this report above is just propaganda. The explosions that occured a few days ago seemed more like someone trying to fabricate a real terrorist event than a real terrorist event. There were about 10 different small bombs that went off in one night in different locations. These small bombs accomplished nothing. Two people were killed by one of the bombs, but none by any of the others. Small amounts of damage were done.

Many people are of the view that the south african government has done these bombings in order to blame the white right.

[AppyPappy]

When the Left was doing this, they were called "freedom fighters".

[2banana]

There is no where left to run in Africa for the whites - time to fight?

[Cicero]

It could possibly be real. There's no accounting for human stupidity. But as you say, it sounds more like a manufactured provocation. Only the more radical black factions have anything to gain by it.

I don't like Nelson Mandela. But I credit his presence on the scene with holding South Africa together. Once he dies, I think all hell will break loose. The present situation is inherently unstable, and the only likely outcome I can see is that the whites will all be driven out and the country will go down the tubes like most of the rest of Africa. At some future time, under the influence of Christianity, maybe the blacks in Africa can pull themselves together and build a civilization, but it looks as if they have to go through chaos first to get there.

[End Times Sentinel]

The present situation is inherently unstable, and the only likely outcome I can see is that the whites will all be driven out and the country will go down the tubes like most of the rest of Africa.

 

Well said.  The only part I'd differ with is that the country is going to hell in a handbasket even with Mandela around.

Gee, things going down hill after a communist government is put in place?  Who'd a figured?

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[Red Jones]

christianity seems to be growing in africa, but the muslim religion also seems to be growing in africa.

If I were in south africa, then I'd just want to leave and go to england or to the US. But a lot of whites over there feel they have very deep roots in africa and they don't want to leave at all.

[End Times Sentinel]

Indexing...

O_E

[rogerthedodger]

I don't blame them for not wanting to leave, although I'd love to have them over here.

In 15 years when the South African government realized it needs the West to run the country, they could spearhead the return.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

I wonder what conservative issue these 'right wing' extremists are supposedly bombing people over? The right to bear arms? The right to free speech? Property rights? Pro-technology issues? Pro-industry issues? What freedoms did these 'right wingers' get so drastic over? Racists tend to be totalitarians [such as communists] or left wing facists. The only religeous group on earth that condones terrorism is Islam. So, I'd like to know why the writer is so certain they are conservatives?

[Red Jones]

it's the south african government telling people it was 'white right' that did this. Sensible people don't believe it at all. But the journalist failed to note that lots of real south africans believe the government's claim and the terrorist bombings as well are a fraud.

[Cicero]

The Boers have been there since the seventeenth century, and the Brits since the nineteenth. But if things go as I expect, they may have little choice but leave or be killed.

Yes, it's a race between the Christians and the Muslims in black Africa. I hope God helps the Christians to prevail. But Islam is the one heresy that for whatever reason God has permitted to succeed, for more than a millenium at that. Usually heresies dry up, split, and shrivel away, surviving only as tiny remnants--like the Samaritans, who are said to number about a hundred today in Israel. Islam is the huge and very dangerous exception.

[section9]

Two words:

REICHSTAG FIRE!

It is possible that there is an internal "Boer" underground. It is much more possible that security services that answer to the ANC's Party Leadership have begun a crack down on the opposition. To do this, it is necessary to create a "terrorist" movement that can be used as a catspaw for the ruling party, much like the "war veterans" were used by Mugabe's Party to legitimize his tyranny with the Mashona People.

Only the ANC will use the same method in reverse. Instead of creating a hate group, the "white farmers", the ANC is smarter. They'll create a "terrorist group" to curry sympathy with the Americans. They've seen how clumsy Mugabe is, and how he lost support. They don't want to go down that road.

"Warriors of the Boer Nation" indeed!

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Red Jones]

fyi