Rightwing threatens Xmas terror campaign

South African police have launched a manhunt for rightwing militants allegedly planning a terror campaign over the Christmas season.

Police spokeswoman Sally de Beer told IRIN on Monday that a task-team had been established and was working around the clock on possible leads.

This followed a series of recent bombings that rocked Soweto, South Africa's largest black township. Soweto was initially created by the former apartheid regime in its pursuit of so-called separate development of race groups.

The bomb blasts killed a woman, wounded her husband and caused millions of rands worth of damage to a Muslim mosque and rail infrastructure around Soweto. A Buddhist temple outside the capital Pretoria was also damaged by a bomb.

On Monday it was reported that the extreme rightwing group known as the Boeremag (Boer Army/Force) had claimed responsibility for the attacks. They also threatened to conduct a campaign of terror over the festive season.

In a letter sent to news media on Monday, the group demanded that the government release 35 of its so-called compatriots from prison. Among the 35 would be the 18 members of the Boeremag who were arrested in recent weeks in connection with a plot to overthrow South Africa's democratically elected government.

The 18 were arrested during a series of raids by security services which also resulted in the confiscation of large amounts of arms and ammunition, including explosives.

"We are investigating, we have to take it [the letter] seriously, obviously we're trying to establish its origins, [as] it was sent in e-mail form to news organisations," De Beer said.

The group signed the e-mail as "Warriors of the Boer Nation".

Police at the weekend released the names and photographs of six rightwingers wanted in connection with the treason case, and warned those harbouring them that they too would be prosecuted.

"Both cases are a top priority for us, the task-team is working non-stop ... and we have made a lot of progress, there have been many breakthroughs. We will hunt them down," De Beer said.