Did African coup begin in Chelsea?

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

A tycoon who lives in a mansion off the Kings Road in Chelsea has emerged at the centre of accusations over an alleged coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea. In a remarkable tale of bizarre twists, millionaire Ely Calil, who once advised Lord Archer, has been accused of financing an operation to hire foreign mercenaries to overthrow the government of the oil-rich West African country.

The Information Minister of Equatorial Guinea has alleged Calil arranged to pay Old Etonian and former SAS soldier, Simon Mann, $5m to hire a group of mercenaries to oust the ailing President Obiang. In the 1980s Mann founded Executive Outcomes, one of the world's most successful mercenary outfits, which was involved in controversial operations in Sierra Leone and Angola.

Calil has been accused of hiring Mann to help his friend Severo Moto, the exiled Equatorial Guinean politician now living in Spain who harbours ambitions to return as President. It is alleged that, had the coup been successful, its backers, including Calil, would be given oil concessions in the tiny state that is now producing more 250,000 barrels a day.

contd:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1169000,00.html


... and the plot thickens!

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AP]

2. What in the world was said about the original post that was against the

rules????

[Moderator]

3. El Kick

...

[Judi Lynn]

4. Thanks from those of us who continued to wonder

if the men in the plane were up to anything rude, as in rushing about, pushing and shoving!