UK and US diplomat "attacked" and Kidnapped in Zimbabwe

UK and US diplomat "attacked" and Kidnapped in Zimbabwe

sky.com

British and American diplomats have been detained at gunpoint by police in Zimbabwe, according to Sky News sources.

"My understanding is three vehicles, one British and two American, left Harare this morning to visit victims of political violence in Zimbabwe," said Sky's foreign affairs editor Tim Marshall.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 5-6-2008 by infinite]

Two cars ecasped, but one car is held and three America diplomats are detained at gunpoint.

US are calling this an attack.

Zimbabwe blamed the US for supporting a UK invasion.

sky.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The British managed to escape by "ramming" cars out of the way and shooting tires out

Last year, the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe and the Trade Union of Zimbabwe said the British would be have the "moral right" to remove Mugabe from power.

Reuters news has this as well..

www.reuters.com...

Apparently, the Police would not allow the diplomats to leave, but the UK rammed the cars and made a run for it. One American car escaped.

Third car is surrounded by police, not sure if diplomats have been taken, but America is warning Zimbabwe about torturing their own diplomats.

**update**

America see this as an attack. One US embassy staff has been attacked and beaten up

I have a White Friend from Zimbabwe who had to flee the country because of how bad it is getting down there. I beleive it is about time for these countrys to step in... time to take him out of power... Good find.

5 Americans and 4 British are reported held by the US Embassy, but apparently the UK did escape "by force". Sources in UK and US are reporting different facts.

Zimbabwe has confirmed diplomats were stopped.

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British Foreign, David Miliband, will make a statement within the hour. All I can say is we have been looking for a reason for a while to remove Mugabe and we now have it. Nobody supports him in his country, many groups last year (Catholic Church and Trade Union Congress) said the British would be justified to use force to remove Mugabe. The country has the lowest living standards in the world and an average life of a Zimbabwean is about 45.

If our diplomats have been tortured/attacked then we should consider removing Mugabe from power.

Embassy employee beaten and tires slashed?? Remember when the president of Zimbabwe called Condi Rice a "slave to the white man?" Sounds like it's time to bomb that country back into the Stone Age. Or we can stay there for 100 years. You pick.

Right, a diplomat (who escaped) gave this report;

The police were happy to let the officials go, but Zanu-PF troops arrived and started smashing windows, trying to grab car keys. One British and one American car then smashed the Zanu-PF truck off the road.

----------------

Downing Street have reported British diplomats have been released.

Originally posted by Scramjet76
Embassy employee beaten and tires slashed?? Remember when the president of Zimbabwe called Condi Rice a "slave to the white man?" Sounds like it's time to bomb that country back into the Stone Age. Or we can stay there for 100 years. You pick.

WOW - what a very militaristic post.

Bomb them back to the stone age???
Sorry, but that's disgusting IMO.

All that would need to be done is remove mugabe - he's currently in the middle of trying to rig a run off in a "disputed" election.

Is he still at the UN meeting?

Perhaps he could be arrested as he and his supporters have so little regard for the niceties of diplomacy.

Infinite
Did I miss something about a UK invasion?

This isn't something I've heard, unless he is referring to colonial times...

Originally posted by Scramjet76
Embassy employee beaten and tires slashed?? Remember when the president of Zimbabwe called Condi Rice a "slave to the white man?" Sounds like it's time to bomb that country back into the Stone Age. Or we can stay there for 100 years. You pick.

There's no need to bomb them back into the stone age, they're all already there. It wouldn't take a lot to remove the Zimbabwean Government. They'd fall like a pack of cards. Sadly, I can't see any Western Government ever removing President Mugabe, their simply isn't any money or incentive to do so.

The people will keep on suffering and nothing will change.

[edit on 5uThursday08/27/08 by paul76]

Originally posted by budski
Infinite
Did I miss something about a UK invasion?

This isn't something I've heard, unless he is referring to colonial times...

No, Mugabe always tells his people "the British are coming" in order for Zanu-PF to keep him as President.

Zimbabwe is pretty much a military junta. The army has more control than Mugabe, he was willing to stand down but the army would not let him because military chiefs would of faced war crimes.

reply to post by infinite


Gotcha - there was a rumour when white farmers were being thrown off their land that it was zanu-pf who were behind it, rather than mugabe if I remember correctly.

I also wasn't aware that the junta had quite so much power - which makes a peacekeeping mission (should one ever come about) much more dangerous.

All I'm really sure of is that something needs to be done - the breadbasket of africa has been raped by mugabe and his supporters.

FOXNews have abit more.

James McGee, the U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe, told CNN in an interview that police had stopped the officials at a roadblock, slashed tires, grabbed phones, and that "war veterans" threatened to burn the vehicles with the officials inside.

FOXNews - Convey attacked

Ah, the war veterans! Horrible group of men. Friends and supporters of Mugabe, with close ties to the regime.

Update:

Zimbabwe ambassador has been called to Foreign Office in London. David Miliband is pretty pissed and the Americans are on the war path.

If this involves the government - Mugabe and co - then we should really consider removing him from power now. Zimbabwe has fallen into anarchy after the elections.

The Americans are still held, were not released along with the British.

Has anyone reported (I cant find any) the supposed justification for this action? I can't say that this bodes well for our African friends (all those who just want to live their lives).

I am, of course, concerned that FOX news may not be the best source for 'facts' regarding this matter. But at this point I'll consider whatever I can find.

reply to post by Maxmars


Zimbabwe said the diplomats were spies at an illegal rally

Britain is demanding all diplomats are released and respected under the Geneva Convention.

Nice to see Mbeki in South Africa is sticking with his friend Uncle Bobby Mugabe and refusing to comment on this attack

[edit on 5-6-2008 by infinite]

Ah, well thats just great...next thing you hear is Australia taking in refugees from zimbawe as well, that would put the cherry on the cake....

Why don't we just import all the struggling african people into Australia while were at it...why stop at just 40,000

C'mon lets bring all the zimbabweans into Melbourne!!!

They can form their own colony right in the middle of melbourne east!!!


www.abovetopsecret.com...

Diplomats were investaging political campaign violence.

10 US diplomats and 4 British were held. No report on what has happened to the 10 Americans, apparently they have been taken apart of Zimbabwe.

Statement for the British foreign office coming in the next 20 minutes.

reply to post by budski

WOW - what a very militaristic post.

Bomb them back to the stone age???
Sorry, but that's disgusting IMO.

All that would need to be done is remove mugabe

Well I was being a bit sarcastic..

But sarcasm aside, what do we do about countries like Zimbabwe? These countries always seem to fall under the power of power hungry macho man opportunists. Remove Mugabe? Sounds like Iraq all over again.

All diplomats have been released according to reports.

United Nations need to get involved in Zimbabwe now, it can no longer sit around and do nothing.

[edit on 5-6-2008 by infinite]