South Africa 'was told of Thatcher coup plot'

[seemslikeadream]

March 14, 2005

By Liz Chong

SOUTH AFRICA’S intelligence services will be accused tonight of knowing about a coup plot involving Sir Mark Thatcher a month before the failed attempt to overthrow the Government of Equatorial Guinea.

Details of the plan to take over the oil-rich state were passed to South Africa’s Scorpions unit a month before coup plotters were arrested, a Channel 4 documentary will claim.

A business partner of Nick du Toit, an arms dealer who has been convicted in Equatorial Guinea for his role in the plot, is alleged to have said that he was asked to inform the Scorpions of the plans because du Toit had been threatened.

Du Toit is currently serving a 34-year jail sentence in Equatorial Guinea after the coup was foiled in March last year. Six other South Africans whom prosecutors said were mercenaries were sentenced to 17 years each in prison.

more
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1524748,00.html

[DulceDecorum]

1. Thanks for the tip

and now,
continue rotting in jail.

The Scorpions behaved themselves,
unlike a certain group who received 52 warnings.

[sasquatch]

2. Why isn't "Sir" Mark Thatcher enjoying the prison shower bash?

It only seems fair to me that he's in an Equatorial Guinea prison along side his goons.

[sasquatch]

3. Why isn't "Sir" Mark Thatcher enjoying the prison shower bash?

It only seems fair to me that he's in an Equatorial Guinea prison along side his goons.

[seemslikeadream]

4. He paid his fine and last I heard was trying to come to the U.S.

British businessman Mark Thatcher, who was accused of partly financing the alleged plot, was recently convicted by a South African court for violating its anti-mercenary laws and paid a R3m.
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1673789,00.html

No jail time for Ms. Thatcher's son, just $500,000

Oh it's Switzerland!

Mark Thatcher mulls escape to Switzerland

London
16 February 2005 07:13

Mark Thatcher, who pleaded guilty in South Africa to charges linking him to a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea, plans to move to Switzerland if he fails to obtain a United States visa, a report said on Wednesday.

The disgraced son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher would be joined in Switzerland by his wife Diana, who is currently waiting for him at her home in Dallas, The Times newspaper reported, without citing sources.

Thatcher, who is living with his mother in Britain while he waits to hear the outcome of his visa application to the United States, was keen to leave the country to escape possible further action over his part in the foiled coup, it said.

"If the application fails, Sir Mark has told friends that his choice is to move to Switzerland," The Times reported.

http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=197593&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__international_news/

[Moderator]

5. kick to combine

[emad]

6. South Africa 'was told of Thatcher coup plot'

Times
By Liz Chong



SOUTH AFRICA’S intelligence services will be accused tonight of knowing about a coup plot involving Sir Mark Thatcher a month before the failed attempt to overthrow the Government of Equatorial Guinea.

Details of the plan to take over the oil-rich state were passed to South Africa’s Scorpions unit a month before coup plotters were arrested, a Channel 4 documentary will claim.

A business partner of Nick du Toit, an arms dealer who has been convicted in Equatorial Guinea for his role in the plot, is alleged to have said that he was asked to inform the Scorpions of the plans because du Toit had been threatened.

Du Toit is currently serving a 34-year jail sentence in Equatorial Guinea after the coup was foiled in March last year. Six other South Africans whom prosecutors said were mercenaries were sentenced to 17 years each in prison.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1524748,00.html