Mugabe brandishes spectre of war in vote build-up

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HARARE, June 13 (AFP): Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe raised the spectre of war Friday by warning that his staunchest supporters are ready to take up arms rather than let the opposition triumph in a June 27 election. In comments carried by state media, the 84-year-old said veterans of the 1970s liberation war had told him they were ready to go into battle once more to avoid the prospect of Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai coming to power after the run-off in a fortnight's time.

Although Mugabe told supporters of his ZANU-PF party he did not want a return to war, he repeatedly raised the threat of conflict and warned voters against making a "mistake".

His comments added to the fevered atmosphere in the build-up to the poll, after Tsvangirai was twice detained while campaigning on Thursday and his most senior lieutenant arrested on accusations of treason.