SA man in bomb drama

2002-09-10 08:15

Lizel Steenkamp

Johannesburg - A South African with a weakness for beer had an Italian town in an uproar when he stormed into a church and threatened to blow himself up over "Bush, Iraq and globalisation".

The police in Trento in northern Italy arrested 40-year-old Neal Donaldson following three hours of negotiations when he asked for beer - and they doctored his third draught with a sedative.

Daleen van der Merwe, a South African who lives in Trento, said on Monday she was out for a stroll last Tuesday evening when an elderly woman ran out of St Peter's church. "She screamed that there was a man who was going to blow himself up in the church."

Donaldson apparently stormed into the church just before 19:00 while a group of tourists were admiring the building.

"He wore only a piece of cloth around his hips, and takkies. He was shouting in Afrikaans and English that he was unhappy with events in Johannesburg and that nothing was happening at the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

"He complained that no one is doing anything for the hungry people in the world, and said he is opposed to [President George W.] Bush, Iraq and globalisation," said Van der Merwe.

Everyone fled from the church and the local police, a special task force and the fire brigade cordoned the area off.

"All the restaurants had to close and no one could get into nearby houses. The poor Italians didn't know what had hit them," she said.

The police at first feared that Donaldson was a terrorist fanatic trying to commemorate the attacks on the World Trade Centre last September 11.

"The man later got thirsty after all the talking and asked for a beer during his negotiations with the police and a psychologist. They put a bit of Valium in the last beer and three hours later he was a lot calmer about the state of the world," Van der Merwe said.

Donaldson was arrested at 22:00 and no explosives or weapons were found on him.

He appeared in court in Trento on Friday on charges of public violence, resisting arrest and the occupation of a place of worship.

According to the town's local paper, he is still in custody.

Van der Merwe said some older Italians were furious and said: "Send him home."

"Those who also oppose globalisation think he is wonderful, and he is a bit of a hero to young people because nothing like it ever happens in the town."

It is not clear what Donaldson was doing in Italy and where he comes from in South Africa.

Nina van Niekerk, the South African consul in Milan, said the consulate knows nothing about the affair. "The Italian police have not told us anything and it sometimes takes weeks to get permission to visit someone in jail," she said.

- Beeld