Mozambican rebels seek European aid for revolt

Envoys of a Mozambican rebel group leave for Lisbon today (Aug. 24) on a European mission to drum up support for its bid to overthrow President Samora Machel's government.

According to the mission's leader, the Mozambique National Resistance Movement (RMN) will be asking for increased arms supplies from friendly Western nations. The RMN is composed of crack soldiers from the Portuguese colonial army. The Mozambican government claims the RMN is armed, financed, trained, and supplied by South Africa, which wants to prevent its black neighbors from achieving economic independence. Both RMN and South Africa deny the accusation.