March 9, 2004 - 12:30 PM

Zimbabwe army on alert after seizing "mercenaries"

By Cris Chinaka

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has put its army on full alert after seizing a U.S.-registered cargo plane which the government says
was carrying 64 suspected mercenaries and a cargo of military gear.

South Africa said on Tuesday it had unconfirmed reports that some of the passengers aboard may be its nationals.

President Robert Mugabe's government said on Monday it had impounded a Boeing 727-100 aircraft on Sunday evening at Harare
International Airport "after its owners had made a false declaration of its cargo and crew".

Officials said the plane was carrying "military material" and its passengers were suspected mercenaries. State television footage of
the plane's cargo showed sleeping bags, satellite phones, knives, bolt cutters and green camouflage uniforms, but no firearms.

"We have mobilised all our security organs to get to the bottom of this case," said a government official who declined to be
identified.

The official and other sources said the army was put on alert on Sunday immediately after the seizure of the plane.

The plane's origin and destination were a mystery on Tuesday, with Zimbabwe government officials saying they would make details
available once investigators cleared them.

No formal charges have been laid, and officials have not said if they believe Zimbabwe was the plane's final destination or a target
for the suspected mercenaries.

Zimbabwe's cabinet was expected to be briefed on the situation at its regular weekly meeting on Tuesday.

CAPTURED MEN TO BE SHOWN TO MEDIA

The South African government said it had unconfirmed reports that some of the alleged mercenaries were South African nationals.

"Should the allegations that those South Africans on board are involved in mercenary activities prove true, this would amount to a
serious breach of the Foreign Military Assistance Act," Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad said in a statement.

The Zimbabwean official said the men would be paraded before the media when the situation allowed.

"We are going to parade these men...but I cannot say when exactly. That will depend with how investigations are going on," he said.

Zimbabwe authorities have not disclosed where they are holding the suspected mercenaries and have not disclosed any
nationalities of those involved. A state television reporter who saw the men described them as mostly white.

In Washington, the State Department said it had no indication that the plane was connected to the U.S. government, which this
month renewed economic sanctions against Mugabe and other top Zimbabwe officials.

U.S. Federal Aviation Administration records show the plane registered to Dodson Aviation Inc. based in Ottawa, Kansas. Dodson
said it sold the plane about a week ago to an African firm called Logo Ltd.

South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry said on Tuesday it had no record of the company.

Mugabe has seen relations sour with the United States and former colonial power Britain, which accuse him of a crackdown
following his victory in 2002 presidential elections which the opposition and Western observers said were flawed.