
Manifestacao pos-eleicoes no bairro de Ndlavela na Matola, Provincia de Maputo. Foto de Ferhat Momade
Maputo, 11 Nov (AIM) – The Mozambican police (PRM) claims that it seized 11 Molotov cocktails and 30 tyres on Friday night in the neighbourhood of Munhava in the central city of Beira.
These improvised explosive devices were to have been used on the streets of Beira by a group of youths who live in Munhava.
The youths told the police they “just wanted to burn tyres”. They claimed the Molotov cocktails did not belong to any political party.
“We would put a tyre on the road, break a bottle of fuel over it and somebody else would set fire to it”, said one of the youths, cited by the independent daily “O Pais”.
“We’re demonstrating because of the election results, and we held peaceful demonstrations”, he said. This “new idea” (the Molotov cocktails) would also be used “peacefully”.
“We’re not members of any political party”, he insisted.
The police do not believe in peaceful explosives, and said they were sure the devices would have been used for “criminal acts”.
“Home made explosives are not for burning tyres”, said Sofala provincial police spokesperson, Roberto Selemane. “They are for destroying property. It’s with these bombs that these individuals burn vehicles, destroy mobile phone masts and storm shops”, he accused.
He claimed the police are on the trail of a further 14 people involved in making home-made explosive devices.
(AIM)
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