Thatcher charged over coup plot

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London Evening Standard
18 November 2004

Equatorial Guinea confirmed today it has charged Mark Thatcher, son of the former British prime minister, in an alleged coup plot in the oil-rich African nation.

Thatcher is accused of having helped finance the coup attempt, Attorney General Jose Olo Obono said.

More follows...
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/14809630?source=Evening%20Standard

See also:
BBC News:
Trio to testify against Thatcher


Three South African mercenaries have pleaded guilty to charges and agreed to testify against Sir Mark Thatcher, who is accused of financing a coup.

They admitted involvement in a conspiracy to overthrow Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema. .......

The three South Africans - Crause Steyl, Lourens Horn and Harry Carlse - were fined and received suspended sentences after admitting breaking South Africa's Foreign Military Assistance Act.

Lawyer Alwyn Griebenow told the AFP news agency: "We did indeed make a plea bargain with the state.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4019815.stm

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1. From the Times:

Mercenary agrees to implicate Thatcher in failed African 'coup'
By Daniel McGrory



A SELF-CONFESSED mercenary has agreed to testify in court this month that Sir Mark Thatcher was a key figure in the alleged failed coup to topple an oil-rich West African government.

Crause Steyl, a pilot and businessman, says that he will tell how Sir Mark allegedly paid him £145,000 to buy a Boeing aircraft to fly the mercenary army into Equatorial Guinea. .....

His lawyer, Alwyn Griebenow, said: “We did indeed make a plea bargain with the state. They do want us to testify and we said we would be willing to do that. We do not have a problem with that.” .........

A detective squad investigating the plot refused to comment last night on claims that Steyl secretly tape-recorded some of his conversations with Sir Mark and others named in the alleged conspiracy.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,173-1363542,00.html