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Mercenary Mann says SA backed coup plot

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM Nov 29 2009 19:51

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Simon Mann, a British mercenary jailed for plotting against the government of Equatorial Guinea, has said South Africa tacitly supported a failed 2004 coup in the oil-rich African nation.

Mann, who was released from prison earlier this month, told the BBC he believed that the operation had the unwritten consent of South African intelligence.

"South Africa wanted to be in," he said, according to extracts of an interview to be broadcast on Tuesday. "In fact, I was told: 'Get on with it.'"

"Because, if they are very good friends of the new government, it would be of great benefit to South Africa because they know perfectly well that billions of dollars are at stake," 57-year-old Mann said.

Educated at Eton, Britain's top private school, the ex-special forces officer was arrested in Zimbabwe along with 70 other mercenaries en route to Equatorial Guinea aboard a plane.

Extradited to Equatorial Guinea, he was sentenced in July 2008 for conspiring to topple President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. He was pard oned on health grounds, having served just over one year of a 34-year sentence.

During his trial, Mann portrayed himself as a pawn of international businessmen he said were trying to seize power and named the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as being involved -- an allegation Mark Thatcher has denied.

In the BBC interview, Mann said he got on well with Mark Thatcher, at one point his neighbour in South Africa, describing how Margaret Thatcher would come and stay in a cottage in the garden of her son's house.

"I always sat next to her at dinner parties," he said. "She liked me. We even went on holiday together."

CONTINUES BELOW

Mann, who said that from his point of view the purpose of the coup was to make money from the oil-rich country, said he wanted Mark Thatcher as an investor in the plot, and that he had told him precisely what the operation was.

Discussing some of his early plans for the coup, Mann said he had also considered an assassination and a guerrilla war, but these options had been discarded.

He said had been unhappy with aspects of the final plan but was under pressure from unnamed backers to get the coup over.

"I thought there was quite a good chance I was going to die, because I knew that far too many people knew about the operation," he said, adding that he should have had the courage to halt the plans but failed to.

On Sunday, Equatorial Guinea's President Obiang looked set to win an election landslide, extending his 30-year rule. - Reuters

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Comments

I thought everyone knew that? The current SA intelligence setup makes the Nats look like amateurs.

William Smith on November 29, 2009, 9:41 pm

The last sentance of this article is the one people need to sit up and take notice of: 30 years in office, how healthy is that for a country? It seems that EG's government is about as legitimate as the failed coup attempt...

paul vincent on November 30, 2009, 12:19 am

Thanks a lot Simon Mann,we help get your ass out of jail,and you rat us out to the BBC,I don't remember Britain negotiating his release,they left him to rot,they distanced themselves because they were probably involved too but then it all went wrong.

I don't feel too bad if SA was involved,the current regime in Equitorial Guinea is completely evil and hey,the countrys got oil,would'nt hurt to be friendly to a new regime,don't SAfricans love to complain when the price of petrol goes up,but we have to get oil from somewhere...lets not be naieve.

And before people start whining about corrupt SA,how many coups and overthrows have the americans and british supported and been involved in, all over the world,in Africa,Asia and Latin America?;all the ones they've admitted to,and never mind the ones they'll never own up to.

jessica baloyi on November 30, 2009, 12:45 am

I wouldn't take the word of this mercenary killer on anything.

Billy Hill on November 30, 2009, 3:38 am

I am with Billy Hill on this one

Zolani Ngwane on November 30, 2009, 7:28 am

I see S.A is behaving like the US , now here in Africa....overthrowing governments for their country's resources. thing is that country on it's own is also unhealthy politically.

Mshengu Tshabalala on November 30, 2009, 7:33 am

Intresting that SA is being accused of US type policy in Africa. We even have our own Mexico - Zim. But seriously, the SA government should realise that having free and economically vibrant countries in Africa can only be good for SA. Such countries could provide markets, resources and skilled people both ways. And, let's face it, Africa is SA's only real opportunity in the world and the window is rapidly being shut by the Chinese and Indians. Soon SA could be reduced to just another raw materials supplier to these countries.

But I very much doubt thatthe ANC government has the understanding, capability or resources to do anything. Besides their snouts in the gravy trough put their eyes down into the ground.

SA Eish on November 30, 2009, 7:56 am

Billy Hill i am with you on this one and isnt he broke, so he is just doing the usual say things that will sell your story and get more money :) Paul Vincent its none of our business how many yrs he wants to be a leader in his country lets not read too much into this whole 2 yr term thing coz at the end of the day you can change the faces of the leaders and the same party still remains in power and carry on.

Clayton Majona on November 30, 2009, 8:15 am

USA > IRAK - DIRECT INVOLVEMENT
RSA > EQUATORIAL GUINEA - CLANDISTINE OPERATION

REASON = OIL

Poly Ticks on November 30, 2009, 8:55 am

Simon,You failed to put your connections well.You forgot about me,the most wanted master mind in oil deals.Next time.

Mfanafuthi Antony Tutu Ndlazi on December 2, 2009, 12:57 pm