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.

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The LMPS "Gun Show"
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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.

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A Session with the Commander
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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.

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A Shifting Focus
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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