Zapatista leader warns of possible attack

The leader of the Zapatista rebels, Subcomandante Marcos, has warned of a possible attack by the Mexican military in the southern state of Chiapas, following last week's massacre in which forty-five Indian peasants were killed.

In a statement, he said a military build-up in Chiapas had raised fears of an imminent attack, which would break the terms of a ceasefire agreement between the rebels and the government.

A BBC correspondent in Chiapas says the statement has added to the atmosphere of heightened tension following last week's killings, which survivors have blamed on pro-government paramilitaries.The government says the military build-up is intended to ensure security in Chiapas as the Zapatista rebels commemorate the anniversary of their uprising.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service