DATE=6/8/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-233505 TITLE=SAF / ARMS (L ONLY) BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA DATELINE=JOHANNESBURG CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: ANOTHER SUSPECTED WHITE RIGHTWING EXTREMIST HAS BEEN ARRAIGNED IN CONNECTION WITH THE RECENT THEFT OF WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION FROM SOUTH AFRICAN MILITARY STOCKPILES. V-O-A JOHANNESBURG CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA REPORTS ON THE COURT APPEARANCE OF THE SUSPECT AS WELL AS OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CASE. TEXT: THE 42-YEAR-OLD MAN APPEARED IN BLOEMFONTEIN REGIONAL COURT ON MONDAY FOR A CLOSED-DOOR HEARING AMID TIGHT SECURITY. POLICE PREVENTED PHOTOGRAPHERS FROM TAKING PICTURES OF THE SUSPECT, WHO HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER AND ARMED ROBBERY. THE CHARGES RELATE TO THE THEFT LAST MONTH FROM A BLOEMFONTEIN ARMY BASE OF MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED MILITARY WEAPONS, INCLUDING MACHINE GUNS, MORTARS AND AUTOMATIC RIFLES, AS WELL AS THE HIJACKING OF A MILITARY TRUCK CARRYING AMMUNITION. THE DRIVER AND ANOTHER SOLDIER IN THE TRUCK WERE MURDERED. MOST OF THE ARMS AND AMMUNITION HAVE BEEN RECOVERED. TWO OTHER SUSPECTS -- AN ARMY SERGEANT AND HIS FARM EMPLOYEE BROTHER -- WERE ARRESTED AND BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURT LAST WEEK. THE ARRAIGNMENT OF THE LATEST SUSPECT CAME AS THE "SOWETAN" NEWSPAPER REPORTED POLICE ARE FOLLOWING LEADS THAT TWO RIGHTWING AFRIKANER EXTREMIST GROUPS WERE INVOLVED IN THE THEFT. THE NEWSPAPER QUOTED POLICE SOURCES AS SAYING THE WEAPONS WERE TO HAVE BEEN USED TO PROTECT THE PROPERTIES OF AFRIKANER FARMERS. AFRIKANERS, DESCENDANTS OF SOUTH AFRICA'S FIRST EUROPEAN SETTLERS, HAVE RECENTLY EXPRESSED ALARM AT A SERIES OF ATTACKS ON WHITE FARMERS. SOME FARMERS HAD THREATENED TO TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT THEMSELVES IF THE AUTHORITIES WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SECURITY. (SIGNED) NEB/BEL/KL 08-Jun-98 8:47 AM EDT (1247 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
