British and US diplomats detained in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean police detained US and British diplomats for several hours yesterday, slashing the tyres of their cars after they visited victims of political violence ahead of a presidential vote, the US embassy said.

The US ambassador blamed the attack on President Robert Mugabe's government, which it accuses of trying to intimidate opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's supporters ahead of the June 27 run-off election.

"Now what they are trying to do is intimidate diplomats from travelling to the countryside to witness the violence being perpetrated against the population," US Ambassador James McGee said in an interview on CNN.

The embassy said the diplomats were released after several hours.

Zimbabwe's Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga accused the diplomats of distributing campaign material for Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change and said they refused to disembark at a roadblock when ordered by police.

"The police simply wanted to get to the bottom of the issue. No force or violence was used," Mr Matonga said.

The White House demanded the Zimbabwe government explain its actions and the US State Department said it planned to raise the incident at the UN Security Council.

"The Mugabe regime needs to not only explain its actions, but it (is) past time they stop the violence, let human rights and election monitors in and have a free and fair electoral process," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.