Reply #16: Coup d'Etat: Margaret Thatcher attempted just that in 1982 after

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the Falklands biz with the help of VP Bush. The attempt was foiled and she, Reagan, Bush and a host of UK/US military and diplomatic advisers were sued in the UK and US courts.

The role of failed Asian banking giant BCCI was seminal to this. The current £1billion London class action brought by some 20,000 former BCCI creditors against the Bank of England citing misfeasance has fought tooth and nail to subpoena security/intelligence files related to this.

Opening shots were fired last January with the defence commencing last July. The action resumes this week after various appeals that went all the way to the House of Lords to lift individual gagging orders protecting former and current politicians and members of the security/intelligence community.

Thatcher had previously attempted a defence of immunity from prosecution/testifying on grounds of national security. This was successfully challenged after the Calvi murder trial was adjourned in Rome following the City of London police handing over 70 crates of previously "unavailable" evidence.

House of Lords ruled Thatcher had no defence in the BCCI matter as it was only her personal/political reputation that was at stake and not a matter of national security.

Some of this evidence relates to how BCCI attempted to flood the UK with £50billion of forged banknotes in the coup attempt.

Should make interesting headlines in 2005 when the two lawsuits resume.