BURUNDI NAVAL OFFICIALS SEIZE EXPLOSIVES

UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000079 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/C AND DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC MARR PGOV PINR PREL BY SUBJECT: BURUNDI NAVAL OFFICIALS SEIZE EXPLOSIVES ¶1. (U) On January 30, Burundian naval officials seized a cache of approximately 1000 sticks of dynamite and detonators discovered aboard a fishing boat that had crashed against rocks near Nyanza-Lac, a village in Southern Burundi on the shores of Lake Tanganyika not far from the Tanzanian border. The explosives were found in sacks supposedly containing fish. The boat's destination was Rumonge, a Burundian port about one hour south of Bujumbura which is frequently used for commerce across the lake. ¶2. (U) The Tanzanian-registered boat was privately owned and crewed by three people including the boat's captain, the boat owner's son and an unnamed crew member. Police arrested all three, as well as two other unnamed people in Rumonge. According to the Nyanza-Lac's Communal Administrator, Burundians living in Tanzania may have transported the explosives overland through Tanzania to the Burundi border and placed them on the boat for delivery to Rumonge. ¶3. (SBU) Independently-owned Radio Bonesha reported that the explosives may have been destined for individuals loyal to ousted Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) president Hussein Radjabu. However, police have not yet concluded their investigation into the case. CNDD-FDD party members elected a new party head on February 7; however, Radjabu has stated publicly that he will not accept the results of the party Congress. According to other media reports, police briefly detained Radjabu on February 6 as he tried to travel from Bujumbura to Rumonge. MOLLER