LESOTHO: GOL LINKS ATTACKS TO DEFUNCT INSURGENCY

C O N F I D E N T I A L MASERU 000172 SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S, DS E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/10/2018 TAGS: PGOV PINS ASEC LT SUBJECT: LESOTHO: GOL LINKS ATTACKS TO DEFUNCT INSURGENCY REF: A) MASERU 152; B) MASERU 142; AND C) 2007 MASERU 488 CLASSIFIED BY: W. Patrick Murphy, CDA, a.i., EXEC, DOS. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On June 10, the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) held a "security briefing" for GOL officials, the diplomatic corps, and local press to display items recovered over the last year associated with various anti-government attacks (reftels A and B),including automatic weapons and military-style uniforms. Police officials also claimed to have made several arrests associated with the attacks, but declined to provide details or offer motives. Prior to this event, the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) Commander told Charge that authorities have arrested seven people with ties to the long defunct Lesotho Liberation Army in connection with the attacks -- four in Lesotho and three in South Africa. END SUMMARY. -------------- The LMPS "Gun Show" -------------- ¶2. (U) On June 10, the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) held a "security briefing" for GOL officials, the diplomatic corps, and local press at the National Police Headquarters to display items recovered over the last year associated with anti-government attacks (reftels A and B). Among the items recovered were 12 rifles, one 9MM pistol, approximately 300 rounds of ammunition, military and police uniforms, and 4 vehicles. Of these, Lesotho authorities recovered only a portion in recent weeks, which included two rifles. Police and military recovered the remainder of these items in 2007 -- before the most recent round of attacks. LMPS Chief `Malejaka Letooane discussed police efforts to recover stolen items and apprehend the culprits, stating that the police service was working "24 hours a day" to "ensure the safety of Lesotho's citizens." ¶3. (U) Assistant Commissioner of Police John Selete gave a detailed account of the time and place of the recovery of each item on display. When asked about arrests made in connection with attacks in 2007 on the residences and vehicles of several senior political figures and recently on military and police units, Selete declined to provide details, stating only that "arrests have been made" during the course of an ongoing investigation. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Lekhohla thanked the police for their hard work and emphasized the importance of keeping weapons out of the wrong hands. -------------- A Session with the Commander -------------- ¶4. (C) During a private discussion with Charge and Poloff on June 3, Lesotho Defense Force Commander Motanyane was more forthcoming about the results of law enforcement operations against anti-government attackers. According to the Commander, authorities have arrested seven people in connection with the attacks -- four in Lesotho and three in South Africa. He also stated that the common thread amongst those arrested is alleged ties with the defunct Lesotho Liberation Army (LLA),an anti-government guerilla group that disbanded in the early 1990s (reftel C). Motanyane and other GOL sources say that former members of the LLA are disgruntled with the various jobs and other benefits the GOL allegedly provided them in exchange for ceasing anti-government activities. -------------- A Shifting Focus -------------- ¶5. (C) COMMENT: The LMPS press event was less than illuminating, and no new information emerged. However, Commander Motanyane's comments were more interesting, and suggest that Lesotho's security services may have abandoned their efforts of June/July 2007 to tie anti-government attacks to Lesotho's major opposition parties and are now focusing on individuals with alleged connections to a defunct and largely insignificant insurgent group. END COMMENT. MURPHY