U.S. ambassador among diplomats stopped by police in Zimbabwe

HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) - Police twice stopped a group of diplomats Tuesday - including the U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe - asking questions and inquiring about journalists accompanying them and at one point threatening violence against them, according to an eyewitness.In the first incident, Ambassador James McGee and a group of journalists had just toured a hospital that is treating victims of recent post-election violence when seven armed police closed the gates to the facility and stopped them.

They wanted to "ask him questions" about photos the group had taken, said Paul Engelstad, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe.

The incident occurred in the village of Mvurwi, a small mining town about 100 km (62 miles) north of Harare.