The Hindu : International : Mark Thatcher denies charges

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 19, 2005

International

International

Mark Thatcher denies charges

CAPE TOWN (South Africa): The son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said again on Friday he had nothing to do with a botched coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea. Sir Mark Thatcher answered a list of questions under oath on Friday submitted by prosecutors from the oil-rich West Africa nation. He agreed to answer the questions as part of his plea bargain when he pleaded guilty last month to violating South Africa's anti-mercenary laws. President Thodoro Obiang Nguema's 25-year-old regime accuses Mr. Thatcher and other, mostly British, financiers of funding a bizarre plot to install an Opposition leader as a puppet leader in Equatorial Guinea. ``It is a mystery to me why I should give evidence in a trial that ended four months ago,'' Mr. Thatcher told reporters outside the courtroom, referring to the trial in Equatorial Guinea. ``However, I'm very happy to have had the opportunity to do so, and to do so under oath, because as you have observed from my answers to the questions it is patently clear that I had nothing to do with financing any coup in Equatorial Guinea,'' he said. — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

Suicide bombers target Shia mosques

Putin backs Iran in nuclear row with U.S.

Row over bank robbery deepens

Taiwan issue: U.S., Japan make common cause

Khaleda alleges plot against Bangladesh

New evidence of prisoner abuse at Bagram

Gyanendra defends take-over

Activist's murder prompts Amazon curbs

France to weed out jargon

Mark Thatcher denies charges