Israel supports Mugabe:
Deadly Anti-Riot Gear ArrivesZimbabwe Standard (Harare)
May 13, 2002
Farai MutsakaIN its on-going efforts to silence its opponents, the government has acquired state-of-the-art military equipment and anti-riot gear to help crush anti-government demonstrations.
Investigations by The Standard last week revealed that heavy riot control equipment has been purchased from Israel, a country traditionally denigrated by the Zanu PF government as a repressive Zionist regime and 'puppet' of the United States.
The equipment has already arrived in Zimbabwe and includes customised anti-riot tankers, gas masks and microscopic 'laser guns', similar to those used by Israeli forces against the Palestinian protesters.
The tankers, called Riot Control Vehicle model RCU 4500 I, were supplied by the Beit Alfa Trailer Company and have been undergoing tests at the Police Support Unit Headquarters in the capital.
The anti-riot vehicles include the latest in water cannon technology based on an advanced computer-controlled jet pulse system. Highly accurate pulse firing can be done in three different modes-short pulse, long pulse and continuous stream. The water is shot up to 500 metres.
The command control panel allows the operator to mix additives like scorching tear gas, pepper spray or dye to the water "according to operational needs."
They are also equipped with surveillance cameras.
When The Standard visited Harare's Support Unit base last week, police officers were being trained in the use of the lethal cannons, under the watchful eye of an Israeli expert.
Police sources said two of the tankers would be stationed in Bulawayo and the other three in Harare.
President Mugabe was to have commissioned the anti-riot equipment on Wednesday but had to postpone the event when he flew to the United States for the United Nations Children's Summit.
Meanwhile, home affairs minister, John Nkomo, who was to have been present at the commissioning, refused to comment on the purchase of the cannons yesterday.
"I am sorry I can't help you. I am at a funeral service," Nkomo told The Standard.
Commenting on the potentially deadly machines, a police source said: "Ideally, the equipment should have come before the election because it was supposed to be used during the campaign period. The equipment is heavy and can crush any demonstration."
According to sources, a crack unit code-named Romeo Troop, tasked with mercilessly suppressing mass actions against government, has been established within the police.
The troop, consisting of about 80 men, underwent intensive training at a police base in Shamva and at the Zimbabwe National Army Commando headquarters in Harare.
Meanwhile, the MDC's shadow defence minister, Giles Mutsekwa, said the move to buy arms of war was meant to intimidate the public and prevent them from revolting.
"The intention of government is to keep the people in perpetual fear and they can only do this by demonstrating that they have amassed arms of war. They have committed many sins and they know they deserve the revolt of the people. The arms of war are an intimidatory tactic. They have the cheek to buy expensive gear to terrorise their own people when the whole country is on the brink of starvation.
"That shows you we have an abnormal and illegitimate government and the day will come when people will say enough is enough. All dictators have tried it, but there is no might that can oppress the strength of the people," said Mutsekwa.
The deal to buy the anti-riot equipment was mooted last year when police sought authority from treasury to make a $105 million down payment to Israel's Beit Alfa Trailer Company (BAT) for the purchase of the arms to the tune of $1 billion. BAT is one of the world's leading manufacturers of riot control vehicles.
The writer of the above and his editor were arrested by Mugabe for writing that article.
Menashe a master of 'dirty tricks'Vincent Kahiya
ARI Ben-Menashe - the man who set up MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in an elaborate operation involving an assassination plot against President Robert Mugabe - is a master of "dirty tricks", the Zimbabwe Independent has learnt. He was described by Time magazine as a "veteran spinner of stunning-if-true-but... yarns".
Yesterday the Independent heard that Ben-Menashe's company Dickens & Madson has been heavily involved in arms for diamonds trade together with senior military officers in Zimbabwe. A source close to the dealings said the company was flying diamonds from Harare to South Africa where they were being cut before being flown to East European capitals to be exchanged for weapons.
Ben-Menashe - yesterday described by diplomatic sources as "one of the dodgiest men in Canada" - is an Iranian-born veteran Israeli spy who worked as a personal security advisor to former Israeli premier Yitzhak Shamir for 12 years.
He served in the external relations department of Israel's Military Intelligence and is a former Mossad deputy chief.
Ben-Menashe is described as one of "six on Israel's top-secret Joint Committee on Israel-Iran Relations, who spent years globe-trot-ting for them, setting up fronts and transferring millions in cash".
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