Chemical weapons in Africa alleged

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32965, 11 July 1972, Page 13

Chemical weapons in Africa alleged

(N.Z Press Assn. —Copyright) LONDON, July 10. j South African mercenary pilots have flown secret ■ chemical warfare missions for the Portuguese Air Force against guerrillas in the nothem Mozambique jungles, according to a British Sunday newspaper. The London “Observer” I said that it had “firm evid-[ ence” that at least six! planes flown by South Africans had carried out crop-! spraying campaigns for two! [weeks earlier this year in an attempt to destroy thej guerrillas’ jungle farms, their [main food source. The newspaper said that the raids were abandoned on April 17 when guerrilla ma-chine-gunners hit one of the defoliant planes and a Portuguese Air Force escort fighter. Both planes got back to their base, it added. Portuguese officials in [Lisbon have denied the re[ports. [ The “Observer” said that [the operation began on April 3 when six planes took off [from Johannesburg for Mozambique, the Portuguese [East African province where [the army has been fighting African rebels for several i years. The newspaper said that

the planes flew several sprayling missions, using a chemi|cal that not only kills plants [but also prevents fertilisation. The escort planes rocketed, [bombed, and strafed the tar.get areas south of the Tan[zanian frontier where guer[rillas had made hundreds of [jungle clearings to grow food, ithe “Observer” said. ■ - — 1 —-