Zimbabwe’s intelligence has uncovered the identity of the anonymous John Doe who sent a bomb/firearm threat to FastJet citing a plan to detonate explosives at one of Zimbabwe’s airports, particularly Victoria Falls International Airport where President Emmerson Mnangagwa was set to land.
On the day, President Mnangagwa’s plane was forced to make a U-turn mid-air while investigations into the alleged bomb threat continued.
Also Read: President Mnangagwa’s Victoria Falls Trip Interrupted by Bomb Threat
Today, he will be in Victoria Falls to attend the final part of the summit which has been ongoing for the past three days.
President Mnangagwa is today in the resort City of Victoria Falls for the 56th Session of UNECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, COM24. The Session convenes under the theme, Financing the Transition to Inclusive Green Economies in Africa: Imperatives, Opportunities and Policy Options.
Asked if the ‘John Doe’ threat has been dealt with, Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications) George Charamba said they have already unmasked who the sender of the email was.
John Doe lost the fight; Victoria Falls Airport is a hive of activity. By the way, we now have the real name of the culprit and we shall announce it in due course.
THE country’s airports are now operating normally and stakeholders should use them without any reservations after the country’s security systems were put on high alert on the day in response to reports of a bomb or firearm threat targeting the country’s ports of entry.
Statement by Presidential Communications
In an earlier statement Friday, the Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications), Mr George Charamba, said the country’s security systems had been put on heightened alert.
“This morning Zimbabwe airport authorities were made aware of an email sent through Fastjet airline by one John Doe claiming “credible bomb/firearm threat” targeting Zimbabwean airports,” said Mr Charamba.
“As a precaution, the country’s security systems are now on heightened alert following this message whose source and credibility is also being investigated.
“While our country is peaceful, and all our ports of entry are well secured, such alerts on possible terrorist attacks are taken and treated very seriously, as nothing should be left to chance.
“The nation is urged to remain calm while investigations are underway, the results of which will be made public by relevant arms of Government once investigations are concluded.
“His Excellency the President, Dr ED Mnangagwa, who this morning was slotted to address a meeting in the prime resort City of Victoria Falls, has had to suspend his trip to allow for investigations which are already underway”.
