Thatcher Case Twist As List Of Alleged Coup Backers Vanishes

[Im The Truth]

THATCHER CASE TWIST AS LIST OF ALLEGED COUP BACKERS VANISHES
MICHAEL SETTLE, Chief UK Political Correspondent
August 27 2004
http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/22939-print.shtml

THE Thatcher saga took a dramatic twist last night when it emerged a key witness in the police investigation has disappeared, taking with him a list of wealthy individuals who supposedly bankrolled an alleged coup attempt in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.

South African police would like to interview James Kershaw, a computer expert, and get their hands on the so-called "Wonga List".

They would like to discover if Sir Mark Thatcher's name is among those who financed the alleged attempt to exploit the massive oil reserves by ousting Teodoro Obiang, the hardline president, and replacing him with Severo Moto, an opponent in exile in Spain.

The son of the former Tory prime minister has been accused of supplying a helicopter gunship to be used in the coup. He denies any wrongdoing.

Late last night, Equatorial Guinea revealed it had started proceedings to try to have Sir Mark extradited from South Africa.

Mr Kershaw, in his late 20s, is said to be the trusted lieutenant of Simon Mann, a friend of Sir Mark's and the purported ringleader of the failed attempt to overthrow Mr Obiang.

He was interviewed by police shortly after Mr Mann, a former Scots Guardsman, was arrested with more than 60 others in Harare as they waited for arms to be loaded on to their plane bound for Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea. Mr Mann has pleaded guilty to trying to procure arms but insists they were to be used to guard mines.

After his police interview, Mr Kershaw left his address in Pretoria and his phone numbers were discontinued. His name was recently mentioned in court linked to Mr Mann's and in connection with allegations he recruited some of the supposed mercenaries.

Mr Mann and more than 80 others are now on trial in Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea on charges that include terrorism and trying to assassinate a head of state. Some face the death penalty.

Yesterday, police suggested Sir Mark's wife, Diane, and their two children were just days from fleeing Cape Town for Dallas, Texas, when he was arrested.

Plane tickets had been booked for Monday and when members of South Africa's FBI-style Scorpions unit turned up to arrest Sir Mark early on Wednesday morning suitcases were strewn around his luxury home.

It was also claimed he had in the past week sold four vehicles, put his house on the market for £1.8m, and enrolled his two children in Texas schools.

Sipho Ngwema, a spokes-man for the Scorpions, said: "It looks as if he was planning to leave the country for good. He was winding up his assets." Makhosini Nkosi, a spokesman for South Africa's prosecuting authority, noted: "The house was on the market, he had disposed of some of the cars, and there were suitcases around the house which indicated they were planning to leave.

"He did confirm he was planning to relocate to Texas."

Mr Ngwema added: "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."

The police's suspicions explain the strict bail conditions set by local magistrates. Sir Mark had to surrender his passports, pay a surety of £175,000 and stay at home except to report daily to the local police station. He is due to return to court on November 25.

Sir Mark, whose business career has been dogged by accusations, albeit unproven, of questionable arms deals and shady ventures, has been charged under South Africa's tough anti-mercenary laws, which ban residents from planning or conducting any military acts abroad.

Lord Bell, a family spokes-man, told Channel 4 that Lady Thatcher was distressed over the arrest of her son but said she was very confident he would be cleared.

The man who was one of the former prime minister's closest advisers, and is now speaking for her son, denied Sir Mark had been planning to flee South Africa and renewed his insistence that he was not involved in any alleged coup plot.
He said Sir Mark had discussed selling his house, but only because he was planning to move to another Cape Town suburb.