Italian spies sneak into Zimbabwe

FIVE Italians, known for operating in political hotbeds such as Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and Libya recently sneaked into the country pretending to be eye specialists on a mission to provide eye specialist services at St Albert Mission, raising suspicion that some European countries have upped their spy missions in Zimbabwe.

Reports of the five Italians who stayed in the country for over a month emerged following last week's revelations that two British spies sneaked into the country early this month, pretending to be aviation security experts. Government has since refuted claims that the British spies were in the country to assist in aviation security issues.

Details at hand show that the five Italians led by Kara McNamara arrived in the country on 3 August, 2016 and left on 17 September, 2016 after camouflaging themselves as eye specialists at St Albert Mission Hospital in Mashonaland Central Province.

The State newspapers claim they have established that Government authorities raised eyebrows over the McNamara team's visit since it was not cleared by the Ministries of Health and Child Care as well as Foreign Affairs. A track record of McNamara's movements show that the team was picked at an airstrip at Nyamanyeche Game Range that lies between Guruve and Centenary by one of the heads at St Albert's Mission Hospital.

It has emerged that despite the team claiming they were in Zimbabwe to offer medical assistance, they never conducted any health work. Information shows the suspected spies visited Guruve, Mbire, Rushinga, Mt Darwin, Hoya, Chimhanda and Kanyemba lodges. Probed by Government authorities over the purpose of the suspected spies, Catholic leaders in Mashonaland Central defended the team saying they did not need clearance from Government since they were doing humanitarian work.

Government sources said; "They (McNamara and team) previously served in Afghanistan, Iraq and in Lybia in 2010. In January, they were in Syria. They came under Jesuits sponsorship and some of them are either serving or retired from the Italian army."

Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary Retired Brigadier-General Dr Gerald Gwinji yesterday said he was unaware of the visit by the Italians.

"I am not aware of such a team. It could be that the hospital had its arrangements, but I don't know much about that," he said.

Contacted for comment, one of the heads at St Albert's Dr Julia Musariri professed ignorance over McNamara's visit. "I don't know anything about that," she said before hanging up the phone.

The revelations come at a time British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Catriona Laing is alleged to have lied about suspected British spies who sneaked into the country early this month. A Cabinet Minister last week dismissed her claims that the visit was linked to the aviation sector. The revelations give further evidence that the suspected undercover agents came to Harare as part of Britain's plot to subvert the Government through sponsoring opposition parties and shadowy "hashtag movements".

Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo who superintends the aviation sector denied that Government had made any correspondence with the dubious duo.

Adamson and Birnie visited Zimbabwe on 5 September and alert authorities raised the raised flag about the clandestine visit.

The two British operatives are understood to be known for engineering violent street "protests" in North and West Africa and it is believed that they visited Zimbabwe on a similar mission as the West ratcheted its plot to destabilise the country by sponsoring civil unrest. Dr Gumbo said, "I have no knowledge whatsoever of those two and I only read it in the newspaper. If they were indeed working on issues to do with aviation, I would have been in a position to know."