Blair ally in African coup plot (latest update)

[emad]

The Australian

Nicholas Rufford, London
December 27, 2004

FORMER British cabinet minister Peter Mandelson, a close friend of Tony Blair, is the latest high-profile figure implicated in the foiled plot to overthrow the president of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.

It has emerged that Mr Mandelson, recently appointed European Union trade commissioner, privately met two businessmen accused of backing the coup plot.

The three dined together in a Lebanese restaurant near the British parliament after the plot collapsed in March.

The businessmen were seeking help for former British officer Simon Mann, who was to lead the coup force and is now jailed in Zimbabwe.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,11788796%255E2703,00.html

[emad]

1. Mark Thatcher urged to accept a plea bargain

Telegraph:
By Jane Flanagan in Johannesburg


Sir Mark Thatcher is under growing pressure from his friends to negotiate a plea bargain with South African authorities over his alleged involvement in a plan to topple the dictator of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.

The Telegraph has learnt that Sir Mark's supporters are urging him to admit to lesser charges, that would not carry a jail sentence, and allow him to move on. A quick trial would allow Sir Mark to rebuild his damaged business and personal life.

It would also allow him to be reunited with his wife, Diane, and their two children, who moved to America to begin a new life shortly after his arrest in August.

The idea of a plea bargain has been given added impetus by the realisation that the South African authorities are seeking to establish a watertight case against Sir Mark, who has strongly rejected charges that he helped to fund the putative coup.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/12/26/wmark26.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/12/26/ixworld.html

AN INCREASINGLY FRAIL Lady Thatcher, who posted £165,000+ bail for Mark, is holidaying in Cape Town with this dumbwit.

What happens if she pops her clogs from the stress of it all? Marky straight in the slammer? (Scorpions please note...)

[goforit]

8. Quite frankly, we don't need another thug to come back into the US.

Thatcher can go to jail!!!

[Benhurst]

2. Perfidious Albion NT

[TyeDye75]

3. It would be so funny

if Mandy had to resign again.

[emad]

4. This time it's gonna be HMP Belmarsh that's Mandy's permanent

seat.....

[Blower]

5. What about the US coup plot to get oil-rich Iraq n/t?

[DulceDecorum]

6. Another government

The Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, has admitted that his department received details of a plan to overturn the government of Equatorial Guinea in January. The information came from a foreign intelligence service and Whitehall was bound by a duty of confidentiality not to distribute it. Mr Straw has pointed out, however, that two Spanish newspapers reported on the coup plans days later.

"It was not definitive enough for us to conclude that a coup was likely or inevitable," he told his Conservative shadow, Michael Ancram, last month. "It was passed by another government to us on the normal condition that it not be passed on."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;sessionid=OJGWCJTGS2BTTQFIQMGSM5WAVCBQWJVC?xml=/news/2004/12/19/wguin19.xml

[goforit]

9. A direct act by Briton, eh??

[goforit]

7. The European Union should remove him immediately!!!

This is unbelievable!!!