'Plane mercenaries are Africans'

State TV showed soldiers sorting through equipment on the plane

A growing mystery surrounds a group of 64 alleged mercenaries detained after their plane was impounded in Zimbabwe.

The men are mainly Angolans, South Africans and Namibians, one a "known South African mercenary", Zimbabwe Home Affairs Minister, Kembo Mohadi says.

He said Harare had not been the final destination of the US-registered plane.

The plane's operators, UK-based Logo Logistics Ltd, said the men were bound for the Democratic Republic of Congo to work as security guards on the mines.

Speculation has been rife about where the "mercenaries" were headed after Zimbabwe announced it had impounded the Boeing 727-100 cargo plane on Sunday.

Mr Mohadi said on Monday that as well as carrying the alleged mercenaries, the plane also contained "military material".

On Tuesday, he said that one of the men was "a known South African mercenary who has operated in various countries in Africa including Cote d'Ivoire".

Local prison

Some reports had suggested the plane was bound for Equatorial Guinea, which has seen a security crackdown in recent days following reports of a coup attempt.

Equatorial Guinea's Information Minister Augustin Nse Nfumu said that 15 mercenaries had been arrested there, including several South Africans.

The South African foreign ministry issued a statement saying that any South Africans involved in mercenary activities would be breaking the law.

The plane has been moved to a Zimbabwean military base

The ministry spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said the suspects were being held in a local prison in Zimbabwe pending the outcome of the investigation.

The British firm Logo Logistics - which claimed it was operating the flight - said that those on board had been on their way to work at mines in DR Congo.

"They are contracted to provide a range of services to mining clients, including logistics, support services, asset and human security, and communication," said the firm in a statement to the South African news agency SAPA.

"We can make it clear that we have no current or intended business in Zimbabwe and certainly no illegal intentions against its government and people."

Zimbabwe state television has showed footage of army personnel sifting through equipment found on board the plane including sleeping bags, army boots, satellite phones and radios - though no arms.