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08/25/2004:
"Thatcher's Son Accused of Coup Plot in Equatorial Guinea"
New York Times/APCAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) -- Mark Thatcher, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was arrested and charged Wednesday with helping to finance a foiled coup attempt in oil rich Equatorial Guinea.
Thatcher, a 51-year-old businessman who has lived in South Africa since 2002, was arrested at his Cape Town home and brought before the Wynberg Magistrate's Court to be charged with violating South Africa's Foreign Military Assistance Act.
``We have evidence, credible evidence, and information that he was involved in the attempted coup,'' said police spokesman Sipho Ngwema. ``We refuse that South Africa be a springboard for coups in Africa and elsewhere.''
Thatcher was placed under house arrest and has until Sept. 8 to post $297,460 bail.
Police with search warrants raided Thatcher's home in the upscale suburb of Constantia shortly after 7 a.m. local time Wednesday. He was held there while investigators searched his records and computers for evidence linking him to the alleged plot to overthrow Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang, which authorities claim was foiled in March. full article
Q&A: the Equatorial Guinea 'coup' Guardian UK
What happened in Equatorial Guinea?
In the event, not much - the alleged participants of the attempted coup against the country's president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema M'basogo, were detained at Harare airport in Zimbabwe in March.
Sixty-four men were arrested on board a plane apparently en route to Equatorial Guinea, although they were unarmed. Two days later a further 15 men were arrested, allegedly an advanced party and believed to be led by a South African man called Nick du Toit. Two separate trials of the men are taking place, one in Zimbabwe and one in Equatorial Guinea. One of the suspects, a German man, died in prison in Equatorial Guinea after what Amnesty International described as suspected torture.
Why would there be a coup?
The underlying motive is most likely connected to the discovery of oil in the formerly impoverished state. Production has increased tenfold since the mid-1990s, making Equatorial Guinea the third largest oil power in sub-Saharan Africa.
