‘Thatcher met with coup plotter’

Newly accused coup plotter Mark Thatcher, son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, met with the alleged top conspirator in the months before an alleged foiled coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, a lead defendant testified on Wednesday.

Nick du Toit, a South African arms dealer facing the death penalty in Malabo for his alleged role, said in court that Thatcher was interested only in purchasing military hardware that was not involved in the alleged coup plot.

”Not at all, this was a normal business deal,” Du Toit said, answering attorney’s questions about whether the contact was about the coup plot.

Eighty-nine men are on trial in Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe for an alleged internationally backed conspiracy to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea, Africa’s number-three oil producer.

Defendants include Britain’s Simon Mann, on trial in Zimbabwe as the alleged top planner for the coup attempt.

South Africa announced on Wednesday that authorities there arrested Thatcher in connection with the coup.

Du Toit told the court on Wednesday that Mann had brought Thatcher together with Du Toit in July 2003 in South Africa. But Du Toit said he was interested only in buying military helicopters for what Thatcher said was one of his mining deals with Sudan.

Lawyers for Equatorial Guinea said the country may pursue the extradition of Thatcher. — Sapa-AP