The President insists that the measure is an important tradeoff for his release of anti-apartheid guerrillas from prison, which he has promised to complete by Nov. 15.

The arms seizure provided the first direct confirmation that anti-apartheid guerrillas, who have their headquarters in black-ruled Zambia, have ground-to-air missiles.

In the fall of 1988, he said, he arranged for two anti-apartheid guerrillas to be ambushed in his own home.

Robert McBride, a famous anti-apartheid guerrilla, left the prison with his wife, Paula, and returned to South Africa.

Others say he may have been stocking up on weapons for former anti-apartheid guerrillas now involved in illegal activities.

Eventually a new peacekeeping force is to arrive, including former anti-apartheid guerrillas and trained in the gentler ways of "community-based policing."

Although a new joint peacekeeping force composed of soldiers and former anti-apartheid guerrillas is being trained, its 3,000 troops are expected to be little more than a symbol.

Struggle and Imprisonment Arrested twice for recruiting young men to go abroad as anti-apartheid guerrillas, Mr. Faku spent 13 of his 38 years confined.

The mystery surrounding the arrest of a former anti-apartheid guerrilla who is a Government official deepened today.

There has also been some speculation in recent weeks that the report was linked to the arrest of a former anti-apartheid guerrilla in Mozambique last month.