Maputo, Mozambique — Three persons detained in connection with the murder of Carlos Cardoso, editor of the independent Mozambican daily 'Metical', have been named as Ernesto Vasco, Sebastiao Manhica and Justico Bila.

Friday's issue of 'Metical' gives the names, citing sources in Swaziland, where the three were arrested. Cardoso was cold- bloodedly murdered on 22 November 2000.

All three suspects seem to be Mozambicans, although on Thursday Attorney-General Joaquim Madeira told AIM that Portuguese citizens were among the detainees.

On Monday the three appeared in a court in the Swazi city of Manzini, not for murder, but for illegal immigration.

'Metical' says the three paid fines, and did their utmost not to be returned to Mozambique.

There is no extradition treaty between Mozambique and Swaziland, but Swazi authorities regularly deport illegal Mozambican migrants.

A Swazi prosecutor, Ross Maseko, said the three would be thrown out of the country since they had entered it illegally. If there were other charges against them, that was a matter for the Mozambican authorities, he added.

The Swazi police later took them to the border where a Mozambican police delegation, believed to have been headed by Interior Minister Almerino Manhenje, picked them up.

Manhenje had visited Swaziland earlier, apparently to discuss ways of overcoming the lack of an extradition treaty.

Sources quoted by 'Metical' say that the three alleged murderers have already acquired defence lawyers. The paper wonders who is paying for this legal aid.

'Metical' believes that if these men are indeed the murderers, they were acting on the instructions of somebody else who is still at large, and who may now either try to spring them from prison, or have them eliminated.