- Sir Mark Thatcher, the son of former British prime minister
Lady Thatcher, was arrested and charged today over claims that he was involved
in a plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea.
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- The 51-year-old businessman was arrested in his pyjamas
during a 7am raid on his house in Cape Town, according to South African
police authorities.
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- Sir Mark later appeared briefly in a local magistrates
court charged with violation of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance
Act. He could receive a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment if convicted
of the offence.
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- According to the Reuters news agency, he will return
to court in November, and must now remain in his Cape Town home until he
pays a two million Rand (£166,822) bail.
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- He was not required to plead at the hearing, and the
case was remanded for further investigation.
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- Sir Mark's court appearance was delayed when he was robbed
in a crowded holding cell. His shoes, jacket and cell phone were taken,
according to a court official who witnessed the attack.
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- Sir Mark did not appear to have been injured and police
were trying to recover the items, the official said.
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- There has been no comment from Lady Thatcher, who is
on holiday in America and is expected to return to the UK on Friday.
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- Police raided Sir Mark's home in the upmarket suburb
of Constantia shortly after 7am local time, armed with search warrants.
Sir Mark was in his pyjamas when they arrived, police spokesman Sipho Ngwema
said.
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- While Sir Mark was in custody at his home investigators
searched his records and computers for evidence.
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- The South African Press Association quoted police as
saying Sir Mark was being "relatively cooperative" with investigators.
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- South African prosecuting authority spokesman Makhosini
Nkosi said: "We are currently conducting a search and seizure operation
at the house of a Cape Town man who is a British citizen."
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- He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We are investigating
the possibility that he has been involved in the funding of logistical
support to the people who are involved in the alleged coup attempt in Equatorial
Guinea."
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- Sir Mark's lawyer, Peter Hodes, told Sky News that his
client had already been charged with an offence relating to "the purchase
of a helicopter, and some connection with the Equatorial Guinea coup attempt".
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- Mr Hodes added that there was no question at this time
of Sir Mark being extradited, and that his client had returned willingly
to South Africa "despite the fact he knew the authorities were interested
in talking to him".
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- The arrest comes as trials are taking place in two countries
over an alleged foiled plot in March to overthrow the oil-rich west African
regime.
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- It is claimed that Briton Simon Mann, an Old Etonian
turned African mercenary, was the ringleader of the alleged coup attempt.
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- Sir Mark is a neighbour of Mr Mann, 51, a former SAS
officer who is one of 70 men currently on trial in Zimbabwe in connection
with the alleged coup plot.
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- The men are being tried at the maximum-security Chikurubi
prison near Harare, charged with immigration and aviation offences and
possession of dangerous weapons.
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- The alleged plotters were said to be hoping to exploit
the country's massive oil reserves after overthrowing President Teodoro
Obiang and installing their own leader, Severo Moto, currently in exile
in Spain.
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- A further 19 people are on trial in Malabo, capital of
Equatorial Guinea. They are charged with attempting to assassinate a head
of state, illegal possession of arms and explosives, terrorism, treason
and endangering the public. Verdicts in their cases are expected on Saturday.
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- The detained men include South African arms dealer Nick
du Toit, who told the court yesterday that his co-accused in Malabo were
never told what they were being recruited for.
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- "They are innocent according to me," he said.
He says foreign financiers plotted the coup.
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- Mr Du Toit faces possible execution and his co-defendants
prison sentences of up to 86 years.
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- As their trials opened on Monday, Zimbabwe announced
that it would seek Mr Du Toit's execution, contrary to earlier promises
that no death penalties would be pursued.
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- A 90th defendant, a German, died in prison in Equatorial
Guinea after what Amnesty International said was suspected torture.
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- Pumping 350,000 barrels of oil a day, Equatorial Guinea
has become Africa's third-largest oil producer since offshore development
began in the mid-1990s.
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- The country has accused British and South African oil
broker Ely Calil and other foreign financiers of funding the alleged coup
attempt. Mr Calil has denied any involvement.
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- President Obiang has ruled the isolated nation with an
iron fist since executing the former dictator - his uncle - in 1979.
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- Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited
2004
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- http://www.guardian.co.uk/southafrica/story/0,13262,1290386,00.html
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