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In a message dated 8/27/2004 1:13:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
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--- Begin Message ----Caveat Lector- Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't FitAP via The Independent - 27 August 2004 http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=555588&host=3&dir=69 Equatorial Guinea seeks Thatcher extradition The government of Equatorial Guinea has asked South Africa to extradite Mark Thatcher, son of the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who is under house arrest for his alleged role in a coup plot against Equatorial Guinea. A lawyer for the government, Lucie Bourthoumieu, said today that Equatorial Guinea has "strong hopes" of achieving the extradition. South African authorities arrested Thatcher at his home in Cape Town on Wednesday in connection with the alleged foiled coup plot in this oil-rich West African nation. Equatorial Guinea accuses Thatcher and others of being prime financiers of the alleged plot. "South Africa is cooperating, and they are willing to fight furiously against all mercenaryism and terrorism," Bourthoumieu said. No arrest warrants or formal charges have been announced here, normally among the first steps in a legal extradition. Bourthoumieu said partnership in the African Union and civil conventions should make the extradition between the two countries possible. A total of 89 men are on trial in Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea in connection with the alleged coup conspiracy. Another defendant in the case, a German man, died in custody here after what Amnesty International said was torture. The US State Department and international rights groups accuse Equatorial Guinea of routine torture in prison and other rights abuses. *** The Independent - 27 August 2004 http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=555542&host=3&dir=69 Thatcher: the net tightens Witness set to hand key documents to South African investigators By Kim Sengupta and Jonathan Brown A computer expert in possession of a list which reveals the identities of the rich and influential figures who allegedly backed the Equatorial Guinea coup plot has become an important witness for the prosecution. The Independent has learnt that James Kershaw is preparing to give evidence in South Africa in any future trial of Sir Mark Thatcher, who is accused of involvement in an alleged plot to depose the president of the oil-rich west African state. Mr Kershaw, 24, is believed to be in possession of what has become known as the "Wonga List" - details of people, including public figures in Britain, who allegedly bankrolled an attempt by mercenaries to overthrow the regime of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema and replace it with members of exiled opposition groups. It is claimed that in return the backers would have been paid millions of pounds by the new government, as well as landing lucrative oil contracts. The decision by Mr Kershaw to do a deal with the police means the secret "Wonga List" is now likely to be in the hands of the South African authorities, and details of those involved in the alleged coup plot are likely to emerge in the near future. South African police officials said yesterday they were examining all the evidence obtained so far, and anticipated further arrests. They have refused to rule out seeking arrests and the extradition of suspects from Britain. Mr Kershaw, who was born in South Africa but holds a British passport, has been named in court by a number of the arrested mercenaries as one of the recruiters in the alleged attempt to depose President Obiang. He allegedly made a down payment of $90,000 (#50,000) in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, and also allegedly gave last-minute instructions, by telephone, to those involved in the plot. Mr Kershaw made the decision to co-operate with the authorities after seeking legal advice. He is believed to have met officials recently in South Africa, but it is not known whether he is still in that country or whether he has returned to Britain. Authorities in Equatorial Guinea have announced that it wants Sir Mark extradited from South Africa. "The process for requesting extradition has started. There has been a first contact, an initial expression of interest from the government of Equatorial Guinea to South Africa," said Lucie Bourthoumieux, a lawyer representing the country. South Africa's foreign ministry said earlier that it could not respond to questions on whether he might be extradited because such a request had not yet been made. Sir Mark appeared to have been on the point of leaving South Africa when he was arrestedover his alleged involvement in the plot. He had sold his four cars, put his house in Cape Town up for sale for #1.8m and reserved flights to the United States for his wife and children next week. Sir Mark's lawyers denied he was trying to flee the country. It was also claimed last night that he had received death threats from associates of the mercenaries allegedly involved in the plot. The revelations about the "Wonga List" come as trials take place in two countries over the alleged coup plot. It is claimed that Briton Simon Mann, an African mercenary, was the ringleader of the alleged coup attempt. He was held in Zimbabwe, allegedly with a plane full of mercenaries on their way to overthrow the Equatorial Guinea government. The alleged plotters were said to be hoping to exploit the country's massive oil reserves after overthrowing President Obiang and installing their own leader, Severo Moto, currently in exile in Spain. Mann is one of 70 defendants held in Zimbabwe while another 19 people are on trial in Malabo, capital of Equatorial Guinea. The 19 defendants in Malabo 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. One of the defendants, from Germany, died in prison in Equatorial Guinea. The human rights organisation Amnesty International said it suspected that he had been tortured. Equatorial Guinea, which pumps out 350,000 barrels of oil a day, has become Africa's third-largest oil producer since offshore development began in the mid-1990s. President Obiang has ruled the nation with an iron fist since 1979, when he overthrew the former dictator, his uncle. *** The Independent - August 27, 2004 http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=555540&host=3&dir=69 Thatcher 'was planning to flee' before being detained By Jonathan Brown Sir Mark Thatcher planned to flee South Africa before his arrest in connection with an alleged coup plot, police said yesterday. The son of the former prime minister had already put his #2m home in Constantia in Cape Town on the market and enrolled his children at schools in the United States. He had also booked flights to Dallas for his American wife Diane Burgdorf, the daughter of a millionaire Texan, and his two children. The couple retain a home in the prestigious Highland Park area of the Texan city. A police spokesman, Sipho Ngwema, said: "The flights were booked for Monday and we believe Thatcher would have followed them. If you move your family and sell your property it follows that you would be leaving the country too," he said. Sir Mark, 51, has insisted that he is innocent, claiming he knew nothing of a plot to topple the president of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea. South Africa's FBI-style Scorpions unit arrested him early on Wednesday morning after he failed to respond quickly enough to a police request for information upon returning from a trip to the United States. They said he had no intention of coming back to South Africa, where he has lived since 1995 when he left the US amid a number of investigations into his business dealings there. While in Texas, he settled a civil racketeering lawsuit for an undisclosed sum. He was also investigated by the Internal Revenue Service over his role with a Dallas-based home security company that went bankrupt. A Cape Town court put Sir Mark under virtual house arrest on Wednesday until he pays a #250,000 bank guarantee, required by 8 September. He was required to surrender his passports and report in daily to police pending another court appearance in November. He was charged with violating the country's Foreign Military Assistance Act designed to prevent South Africa being used as a base to plot the overthrow of other governments. In a statement Sir Mark said: "I am innocent of all charges made against me. I have been, and am, co-operating fully with the authorities in order to resolve the matter. I have no involvement in an alleged coup in Equatorial Guinea and I reject all suggestions to the contrary." Phillip Higgo, one of Sir Mark's legal team, denied he planned to leave the country. He said he had been aware of the investigation before returning to South Africa from a business trip to the United States. "It goes without saying that had the accused constituted a flight risk the court would never have allowed the conditions it granted yesterday," he said. South African police believe Sir Mark financed the purchase of a helicopter to assist in the coup plot in Equatorial Guinea. Eight-four people, mostly South Africans, are on trial simultaneously in Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea in connection with the alleged plot. The British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who was taking part in bilateral talks in Cape Town yesterday, insisted Sir Mark would receive the same treatment as any other Briton in trouble abroad. "Mark Thatcher is entitled to the same consular assistance as any other British citizen. He is also entitled, as every British citizen is, to that consular assistance being confidential," he said. South Africa's foreign ministry meanwhile said it had not received a request for extradition from Equatorial Guinea, where he could face the death penalty if found guilty. "The minister has said such a request has not been made and therefore there is nothing to deal with," spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa maintained. * Search the NYTr Archives at: http://olm.blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/ To subscribe or unsubscribe or change your settings via the web, visit: http://olm.blythe-systems.com/mailman/listinfo/nytr ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ================================================================= www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! 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