Mugabe threatens opposition arrests

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Election observers from across Africa are hearing accounts of political violence as Zimbabwe draws closer to a presidential runoff, their spokesman said Tuesday, .

Marwick Khumalo, head of a 64-member Pan-African Parliament observer mission, said his team had been investigating reports of election violence for the last several days. His was among the first observer missions at work for a June 27 runoff between President Robert Mugabe and challenger Morgan Tsvangirai.

Independent human rights observers say Mugabe's police, soldiers and party militants have orchestrated widespread violence aimed at ensuring Mugabe wins after coming in second to Tsvangirai in the first round in March.

In recent days, Mugabe has turned up the rhetoric, saying he would go to war before accepting defeat at the polls. He threatened to arrest opposition leaders he accused of supporting mounting election violence, state radio reported Tuesday.