The plan was intended to be used to assassinate Robert Mugabe and other high ranking ZANU leaders at their headquarters.

[2] The Rhodesian Security Forces came up with Operation Hectic as a backup plan in case ZANU lost the election and returned to guerrilla warfare.

[2] Both ZIPRA and ZANLA forces had been required to gather at designated points as part of the Agreement.

[3] The plan for Operation Hectic involved the Rhodesian SAS taking four of the Rhodesian Armoured Corps' T-55 tanks to the Audio Visual Arts building of the University of Rhodesia in Salisbury to eliminate Mugabe and the ZANU leaders in case they lost the election.

[4] The plan would be justified on the grounds of false reports of ZANU guerillas attacking churches.