Zimbabwe Opposition Leader Taken Into Custody

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) _ Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was taken into police custody, an aide said Wednesday. <br/><br/>``Tsvangirai and a number of others we have not been able

Wednesday, March 28th 2007, 7:41 am

By: News On 6

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) _ Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was taken into police custody, an aide said Wednesday.

``Tsvangirai and a number of others we have not been able to identify have been taken by police in a bus,'' said aide Eliphas Mukonoweshuro. ``We don't know their whereabouts. We don't know if they have been charged.''

Earlier police sealed off approaches to Harvest House, the opposition headquarters in downtown Harare. Police also sealed off two other nearby streets blocking traffic and pedestrians. Witnesses said tear gas was fired to disperse onlookers.

Mukonoweshuro said police had come to search the offices of the Movement for Democratic Change.

Tsvangirai and 12 senior opposition colleagues were hospitalized after a March 11 crackdown on a prayer meeting and alleged they were assaulted with clubs and iron bars while under arrest.

President Robert Mugabe has vowed to use more violence to crush opposition to his rule. The 83-year-old leader is to attend an emergency meeting of southern African leaders in Tanzania Wednesday that is to focus on the political turmoil in Zimbabwe.