'Thatcher tested helicopter'

2005-01-04 11:41

Sarel van der Walt

London - Sir Mark Thatcher, son of Lady Margaret Thatcher, former British prime minister, who is suspected of having been involved in the failed coup d'etat in Equatorial Guinea, apparently undertook a test flight himself with a helicopter that the participants in the coup had hoped to use in the planned coup.

The British daily, The Guardian, reported on Monday that Thatcher had later also deposited $275 000 in the bank account of Crause Steyl, the South African pilot who was found guilty last month on charges of contravening the South African legislation regarding mercenaries by being involved in the failed coup.

Steyl who, according to the newspaper's information, had offered to testify against Thatcher in an effort to escape a long jail sentence, allegedly told investigating officials that the former prime minister's son had been instrumental in selecting and financing the hire helicopter.

According to the report Thatcher does not deny that he deposited money into Steyl's bank account but is adamant that it was meant for Steyl's air ambulance service and not for the attempted coup.

Thatcher was to finance helicopter

Steyl allegedly confirmed that he was canvassed by the Brit, Simon Mann, who is presently serving a seven-year jail sentence in Harare, to provide air support for the coup attempt.

Allegedly Mann asked him in December 2003 to investigate the purchase of a helicopter that could be used as an ambulance and gunship in the coup attempt.

The former British SAS officer told him to go to the Lanseria airport where he met with Thatcher and another British businessman, Mr Greg Wales.

Wales is suspected by the Equatorial Guinea government of also being involved as one of the financial backers of the coup attempt.

When Steyl was introduced to Thatcher, it was made clear that the latter (Thatcher) would finance the helicopter.

Steyl again met Mann and Thatcher on 22 December in Constantia in the Cape and again a few days later when Thatcher, a trained pilot, made a test flight with the helicopter.

According to the report in The Guardian the South African pilot told investigators that Mann and Thatcher were not satisfied with the helicopter and then decided on another model, which would have been more suitable for the purpose.

Steyl then prepared a budget of $275 000 and Thatcher made two deposits - one of $20 000 on 8 January last year and $255 000 on 16 January.

Steyl hired the helicopter and flew from East London to Walvis Bay in Namibia, where the helicopter stood for three weeks before it was sent back to South Africa after the plans backfired.

The Guardian says bank records show that $100 000 was transferred from Steyl's account to an overseas account of Mann, which would have been used to finance a new coup attempt.

- Beeld