Zimbabwe's Mugabe says war veterans ready for battle

Harare: Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe says liberation war veterans are ready to take up arms to prevent the opposition winning a June 27 presidential run-off.

The state-owned Herald newspaper quoted Mugabe as telling supporters at a rally on Thursday that the veterans had asked him if they should be ready to fight.

"They came to my office after the (disputed March 29) elections and asked me: 'Can we take up arms?'," Mugabe said.

The Herald said Mugabe told the war veterans that he did not war but said Zimbabwe would never be ruled by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai, human rights groups and Western powers accuse Mugabe of unleashing a brutal campaign to win the run-off.

The third most senior MDC leader, Tendai Biti, was arrested on his return from abroad on Thursday and faces a treason charge which could carry the death sentence.

His lawyers said on Friday they have still not been given access to him and that they have filed an application urging the High Court to intervene.

Also on Friday, a regional human rights group said police had ordered non-governmental aid groups, rights groups and the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association to close.