ZIMbobWE seizes US cargo Plane and Mercenaries
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here is an interesting thought
Maybe someone can answer this one because it is baffling my brain (but then again, I am only a pilot)
Sir Mark pleads guilty for unwittingly bankrolling an aircraft for the coup ("I did not know what I was doing, gee, sorry!!!!")
Yet in the same breath he: "I will help you with all the info that I have on the coup".
Now how can someone help the government in its probe into the failed coup if he did not know about it?????
FISHY, FISHY
Gainesy, keep a look out, apparantly Sir Mark might be on his way to you after all. It would seem that the SA media is not sure whether he is going to the states or coming to england first.
Let us know.
Sir Mark pleads guilty for unwittingly bankrolling an aircraft for the coup ("I did not know what I was doing, gee, sorry!!!!")
Yet in the same breath he: "I will help you with all the info that I have on the coup".
Now how can someone help the government in its probe into the failed coup if he did not know about it?????
FISHY, FISHY
Gainesy, keep a look out, apparantly Sir Mark might be on his way to you after all. It would seem that the SA media is not sure whether he is going to the states or coming to england first.
Let us know.
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From News24:
'I was almost famous'
14/01/2005
East London - The owner of a helicopter company in East London said on Thursday he had no idea that one of his helicopters had been chartered for Mark Thatcher's Equatorial Guinea coup bid.
Brian Katz of the firm AV8 admitted that one of his helicopters had been rented by one of Thatcher's associates, Crause Steyl, who has since also been arrested by the Scorpions.
Steyl, who operated his own air ambulance company, phoned Katz to discuss the charter.
"He said they needed the helicopter for medical rescue work in Equatorial Guinea. I had no idea that it was part of a coup plot and only later, after the news of the plot broke, realised that the helicopter was supposed to have been part of the plan."
Katz said he dealt only with Steyl and never spoke to Thatcher.
He said the helicopter, which was flown by AV8 pilot Matthew Carter, only went as far as Walvis Bay in Namibia because he (Katz) insisted on receiving the paperwork before it left for Equatorial Guinea.
"Matthew sat there for three weeks and waited. They never told him the real reason.
"When I realised that no paperwork was forthcoming from the Civil Aviation Authority and from the Equatorial Guinea authorities I asked that the helicopter be brought back."
Katz said Steyl paid him normal rates and a deposit before Carter left for Namibia.
He said he has no idea why Steyl called him but "we are a helicopter company and get called out on contracts all the time."
He said there was never a chance that his helicopter would have been involved in any plot.
"There was no way that the helicopter would have entered Equatorial Guinea without the necessary paperwork.
"I was almost famous," he said.
"But disappointment is an understatement to describe how I felt when I learnt what the idea behind the charter had been."
14/01/2005
East London - The owner of a helicopter company in East London said on Thursday he had no idea that one of his helicopters had been chartered for Mark Thatcher's Equatorial Guinea coup bid.
Brian Katz of the firm AV8 admitted that one of his helicopters had been rented by one of Thatcher's associates, Crause Steyl, who has since also been arrested by the Scorpions.
Steyl, who operated his own air ambulance company, phoned Katz to discuss the charter.
"He said they needed the helicopter for medical rescue work in Equatorial Guinea. I had no idea that it was part of a coup plot and only later, after the news of the plot broke, realised that the helicopter was supposed to have been part of the plan."
Katz said he dealt only with Steyl and never spoke to Thatcher.
He said the helicopter, which was flown by AV8 pilot Matthew Carter, only went as far as Walvis Bay in Namibia because he (Katz) insisted on receiving the paperwork before it left for Equatorial Guinea.
"Matthew sat there for three weeks and waited. They never told him the real reason.
"When I realised that no paperwork was forthcoming from the Civil Aviation Authority and from the Equatorial Guinea authorities I asked that the helicopter be brought back."
Katz said Steyl paid him normal rates and a deposit before Carter left for Namibia.
He said he has no idea why Steyl called him but "we are a helicopter company and get called out on contracts all the time."
He said there was never a chance that his helicopter would have been involved in any plot.
"There was no way that the helicopter would have entered Equatorial Guinea without the necessary paperwork.
"I was almost famous," he said.
"But disappointment is an understatement to describe how I felt when I learnt what the idea behind the charter had been."
GunsssR4ever
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Some good news
For a change some good news ...
A Zimbabwe court has slashed the sentence of Briton Simon
Mann, leader of a group jailed on charges related to a suspected coup
plot against the government of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, his lawyer
said on Thursday.
Mann, a former member of Britain's special services, has been serving a
seven-year prison term after being convicted last September of
attempting to buy weapons without a licence from a Zimbabwe state firm.
Lawyer Jonathan Samkange said the defence had successfully applied to
the High Court for a review of Mann's sentence, adding that the court
was also reviewing the sentences of 64 South African citizens jailed
with him on related charges.
"The High Court made a review of his (Mann's) sentence and reduced it
to four years after we made representations," Samkange told Reuters.
"We are still awaiting the judge's decision on the other guys because
we have also made representations for a review."
Samkange gave no date for the appeal.
Court officials were not immediately available for comment.
The High Court last month allowed the 64 South Africans to appeal to
the Supreme Court, the highest in the country, against both their
sentences and convictions, but rejected a similar application by Mann.
Two out of an original group of 70 men were acquitted by a Harare
magistrate, one died in prison and two were released on health grounds
after falling ill.
The case has also involved Mark Thatcher, son of former British Prime
Minister Margaret Thatcher, who pleaded guilty in South Africa on
Thursday to a role in the Equatorial Guinea coup plot.
Mann, leader of a group jailed on charges related to a suspected coup
plot against the government of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, his lawyer
said on Thursday.
Mann, a former member of Britain's special services, has been serving a
seven-year prison term after being convicted last September of
attempting to buy weapons without a licence from a Zimbabwe state firm.
Lawyer Jonathan Samkange said the defence had successfully applied to
the High Court for a review of Mann's sentence, adding that the court
was also reviewing the sentences of 64 South African citizens jailed
with him on related charges.
"The High Court made a review of his (Mann's) sentence and reduced it
to four years after we made representations," Samkange told Reuters.
"We are still awaiting the judge's decision on the other guys because
we have also made representations for a review."
Samkange gave no date for the appeal.
Court officials were not immediately available for comment.
The High Court last month allowed the 64 South Africans to appeal to
the Supreme Court, the highest in the country, against both their
sentences and convictions, but rejected a similar application by Mann.
Two out of an original group of 70 men were acquitted by a Harare
magistrate, one died in prison and two were released on health grounds
after falling ill.
The case has also involved Mark Thatcher, son of former British Prime
Minister Margaret Thatcher, who pleaded guilty in South Africa on
Thursday to a role in the Equatorial Guinea coup plot.
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This from BBC news 15 Jan 2005
"""SA keen to shed mercenary image
By Martin Plaut
BBC African analyst
South Africa clearly wanted the coup plot to fail
Sir Mark Thatcher's decision to plead guilty to participating - however unwittingly - in a coup attempt in the West African state of Equatorial Guinea has highlighted the ability of mercenaries to undermine African governments.
The alleged plot involved South Africans travelling to Zimbabwe to pick up arms before travelling on to Malabo - the capital of Equatorial Guinea - to meet up with a group of fellow mercenaries who were already in place.
But the plot was soon exposed and backfired, with men now languishing in jails in Malabo and the Zimbabwean capital, Harare.
One thing is certain: the coup in which Sir Mark Thatcher was apparently involved was widely known.
South African President Thabo Mbeki warned both Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea that the plot was under way even before the plane left South African airspace.
South Africa clearly wanted the coup to fail, but not before it had exposed everyone involved. ""
I mean c'mon, is this the way to police laws as responsible people.....its more the way of a "kindergarden" prank...although in this case its more serious. No hard guess where our Governments loyalties lie. Not with me thats for sure!!!!!!!
"""SA keen to shed mercenary image
By Martin Plaut
BBC African analyst
South Africa clearly wanted the coup plot to fail
Sir Mark Thatcher's decision to plead guilty to participating - however unwittingly - in a coup attempt in the West African state of Equatorial Guinea has highlighted the ability of mercenaries to undermine African governments.
The alleged plot involved South Africans travelling to Zimbabwe to pick up arms before travelling on to Malabo - the capital of Equatorial Guinea - to meet up with a group of fellow mercenaries who were already in place.
But the plot was soon exposed and backfired, with men now languishing in jails in Malabo and the Zimbabwean capital, Harare.
One thing is certain: the coup in which Sir Mark Thatcher was apparently involved was widely known.
South African President Thabo Mbeki warned both Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea that the plot was under way even before the plane left South African airspace.
South Africa clearly wanted the coup to fail, but not before it had exposed everyone involved. ""
I mean c'mon, is this the way to police laws as responsible people.....its more the way of a "kindergarden" prank...although in this case its more serious. No hard guess where our Governments loyalties lie. Not with me thats for sure!!!!!!!
GunsssR4ever
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Coup pilot: SA govt stood back
http://www.mg.co.za/articledirect.aspx?area=mg_flat&articleid=195912
Coup pilot: SA govt stood back
Marléne Burger
Fresh claims of official support for an abortive bid to overthrow Equatorial Guinea’s
head of state were made this week by one of the chief conspirators.
According to Free State pilot Crause Steyl, jailed coup leaders Simon Mann and Nick
du Toit told him that South African authorities would not act against their mercenary
group because, like the governments of Spain, Britain and the United States, they
would have been “relieved” to see the dictatorial President Teodoro Obiang Nguema
deposed.
Steyl’s startling claims are supported by a confession made by Mann shortly after his
arrest in Harare on March 7 last year in which he says: “The South African [sic] has
recently ... contacted Severo Moto stating their support for him and inviting him to
meet the President of South Africa.”
This statement was excised from copies of the document leaked to the international
and South African media at the time and Mann has since repudiated his confession, but
Steyl told the Mail & Guardian this week that it was consistent with what he
believed.
“We knew from early December that the plan had been leaked and that the South African
authorities knew something was going to happen, but it was not until shortly before
we left that they sprang into action,” he said. “Up to that point, their attitude was
one of watch and wait, and both Mann and Du Toit were convinced that if we pulled it
off, Pretoria would be perfectly happy.”
However, he says, a telephone call “at the highest government level” some time in
January or late February forced the National Intelligence Agency to set in motion a
chain of events that resulted in the jailing of 69 soldiers of fortune in Zimbabwe
and another group, led by Du Toit, be given “inhumanely long” prison sentences in
Equatorial Guinea.
South African Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils revealed late last year that
warnings from Pretoria to the governments of both Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea
thwarted the coup attempt.
An ongoing investigation into the plan by the Scorpions has seen Steyl and two other
mercenaries, Harry Carlse and Lowtjie Horn, given hefty fines and suspended sentences
as part of plea bargains with the National Prosecuting Authority.
Steyl (39) was in charge of ferrying exiled opposition leader Severo Moto from the
Canary Islands to the Equatorial Guinean capital of Malabo within 30 minutes of a
successful coup led by Mann, a notorious British soldier of fortune.
This week, Steyl told Britain’s Channel 4 that Mark Thatcher, who left South Africa
last week within hours of being fined R3-million for his role in the plan, “knew a
lot more” about the coup plan than he has admitted.
“His role had to be kept hidden, because we knew that as the former British prime
minister’s son, if it became known, the media would have a field day,” said Steyl,
who was directly involved in Thatcher’s funding, selection and testing of a
helicopter for use as a combined gunship and air ambulance.
In a separate interview with the M&G, Steyl said he had “reason to believe” that a
call “from Paris to Pretoria” galvanised South African authorities into action. The
result was the impounding of a Boeing 727, with 63 former South African security
force members on board and Steyl’s brother Niel at the helm, at Harare airport when
it landed to pick up the weapons Mann and Du Toit had bought from Zimbabwe Defence
Industries for the coup.
Mann also offered assurances that the plan had the backing of then Spanish prime
minister Jose-Maria Aznar, who had offered Moto a home in exile and was keen to gain
a foothold in the burgeoning offshore oil industry in the former Spanish colony that
is Africa’s third-largest producer of crude.
When the plan was aborted following the arrests in Harare, Steyl remained confident
that Spanish and other government influence would protect the mercenaries. This
belief was boosted when he and British businessmen David Tremain, Greg Wales and
Karim Fallaha were briefly detained in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, early on March 8.
“We were questioned by Spanish intelligence agents for about 20 minutes, but after
Moto spoke with them, they told us we were free to go, despite the fact that I had
entered the Canaries without a passport or visa, and normally, would have been
arrested as an illegal immigrant.”
Aznar has consistently denied all knowledge of the coup. Mann claimed in his
confession that the former premier had at least three meetings with Moto while still
in office and had promised to send “3 000 Guardia Civil to Equatorial Guinea as soon
as he was established”.
“I have been respectfully told that the Spanish government will support the return of
Moto immediately and strongly,” Mann said.
Steyl said despite several postponements and setbacks, Mann’s group had no choice but
to go ahead with the plan on March 7 “because we had to get the job done before the
Spanish elections”.
While Steyl remains convinced that the coup plan was backed and financed by “powerful
and important people” he now believes that he was misled, at least in part, by Mann
and Du Toit regarding the full extent of support that could be relied on “if things
went wrong”.
“If we had got the job done, a lot of people in high places would have applauded, but
when things went wrong, we were absolutely on our own. I suppose that’s just the way
these things happen,” he said.
Coup pilot: SA govt stood back
Marléne Burger
Fresh claims of official support for an abortive bid to overthrow Equatorial Guinea’s
head of state were made this week by one of the chief conspirators.
According to Free State pilot Crause Steyl, jailed coup leaders Simon Mann and Nick
du Toit told him that South African authorities would not act against their mercenary
group because, like the governments of Spain, Britain and the United States, they
would have been “relieved” to see the dictatorial President Teodoro Obiang Nguema
deposed.
Steyl’s startling claims are supported by a confession made by Mann shortly after his
arrest in Harare on March 7 last year in which he says: “The South African [sic] has
recently ... contacted Severo Moto stating their support for him and inviting him to
meet the President of South Africa.”
This statement was excised from copies of the document leaked to the international
and South African media at the time and Mann has since repudiated his confession, but
Steyl told the Mail & Guardian this week that it was consistent with what he
believed.
“We knew from early December that the plan had been leaked and that the South African
authorities knew something was going to happen, but it was not until shortly before
we left that they sprang into action,” he said. “Up to that point, their attitude was
one of watch and wait, and both Mann and Du Toit were convinced that if we pulled it
off, Pretoria would be perfectly happy.”
However, he says, a telephone call “at the highest government level” some time in
January or late February forced the National Intelligence Agency to set in motion a
chain of events that resulted in the jailing of 69 soldiers of fortune in Zimbabwe
and another group, led by Du Toit, be given “inhumanely long” prison sentences in
Equatorial Guinea.
South African Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils revealed late last year that
warnings from Pretoria to the governments of both Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea
thwarted the coup attempt.
An ongoing investigation into the plan by the Scorpions has seen Steyl and two other
mercenaries, Harry Carlse and Lowtjie Horn, given hefty fines and suspended sentences
as part of plea bargains with the National Prosecuting Authority.
Steyl (39) was in charge of ferrying exiled opposition leader Severo Moto from the
Canary Islands to the Equatorial Guinean capital of Malabo within 30 minutes of a
successful coup led by Mann, a notorious British soldier of fortune.
This week, Steyl told Britain’s Channel 4 that Mark Thatcher, who left South Africa
last week within hours of being fined R3-million for his role in the plan, “knew a
lot more” about the coup plan than he has admitted.
“His role had to be kept hidden, because we knew that as the former British prime
minister’s son, if it became known, the media would have a field day,” said Steyl,
who was directly involved in Thatcher’s funding, selection and testing of a
helicopter for use as a combined gunship and air ambulance.
In a separate interview with the M&G, Steyl said he had “reason to believe” that a
call “from Paris to Pretoria” galvanised South African authorities into action. The
result was the impounding of a Boeing 727, with 63 former South African security
force members on board and Steyl’s brother Niel at the helm, at Harare airport when
it landed to pick up the weapons Mann and Du Toit had bought from Zimbabwe Defence
Industries for the coup.
Mann also offered assurances that the plan had the backing of then Spanish prime
minister Jose-Maria Aznar, who had offered Moto a home in exile and was keen to gain
a foothold in the burgeoning offshore oil industry in the former Spanish colony that
is Africa’s third-largest producer of crude.
When the plan was aborted following the arrests in Harare, Steyl remained confident
that Spanish and other government influence would protect the mercenaries. This
belief was boosted when he and British businessmen David Tremain, Greg Wales and
Karim Fallaha were briefly detained in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, early on March 8.
“We were questioned by Spanish intelligence agents for about 20 minutes, but after
Moto spoke with them, they told us we were free to go, despite the fact that I had
entered the Canaries without a passport or visa, and normally, would have been
arrested as an illegal immigrant.”
Aznar has consistently denied all knowledge of the coup. Mann claimed in his
confession that the former premier had at least three meetings with Moto while still
in office and had promised to send “3 000 Guardia Civil to Equatorial Guinea as soon
as he was established”.
“I have been respectfully told that the Spanish government will support the return of
Moto immediately and strongly,” Mann said.
Steyl said despite several postponements and setbacks, Mann’s group had no choice but
to go ahead with the plan on March 7 “because we had to get the job done before the
Spanish elections”.
While Steyl remains convinced that the coup plan was backed and financed by “powerful
and important people” he now believes that he was misled, at least in part, by Mann
and Du Toit regarding the full extent of support that could be relied on “if things
went wrong”.
“If we had got the job done, a lot of people in high places would have applauded, but
when things went wrong, we were absolutely on our own. I suppose that’s just the way
these things happen,” he said.
Gatvol
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Still sounds as if the "support" they might have received was nothing more than to ferret out who was involved and then sell them down the river in another country......
GunsssR4ever
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Fate of the a/c unknown
The current release date of the non-pilots is 10 May 05 by the way Downhill now ..
Downhill now ..
http://www.africaonline.co.zw/mirror/stage/archive/050213/national5346.html
Sunday 13 February, 2005
National News
Fate of mercenary plane under wraps
Kuda Chikwanda Chief Staff Writer
THE fate of the Boeing 727-100 airplane at the midst of the mercenary saga that
gripped Zimbabwe last year and which was resultantly forfeited to the government of
Zimbabwe, remains unknown with government officials refusing to shed any meaningful
light on the use of the plane.
The plane brought the convicted mercenaries to Zimbabwe in March last year, as they
were en route to the Equatorial Guinea to stage a coup, and made a stop-over in
Zimbabwe to enable the mercenaries to make weapons purchases.
The aircraft was then seized by Zimbabwean authorities, who smelt a rat after the
plane’s crew made a false declaration at Harare International Airport.
The magistrates court, in September last year, ruled that US$ 3 million (Z$ 18,6
billion) airplane be forfeited to the state, last September during the delivery of a
judgment in the case of the mercenaries who had arrived into the country illegally
aboard the airplane.
According to official communiqués from the Attorney General’s (AG) office that were
made in September 2004 after the decision by the magistrate’s court, the forfeiture
of the airplane was in accordance with international law standards.
“…if anyone has an interest in the forfeiture, they have up to three years to apply
for the reversal of such forfeiture,” said then Acting-AG, Bharat Patel after the
court order.
However up to now, there has been no application for such forfeiture.
Efforts to get a comment from the ministry of Transport and Communications, part of
whose mandate is overseeing the aviation industry, on the intended use of the plane
yielded nought, with ministry officials denying any involvement with the aircraft.
“Our ministry never handled that issue. It was handled by the justice and security
ministries. We don’t know anything about that airplane apart from that it was
forfeited to the state last year,” said Transport and Communications secretary,
Karikoga Kaseke.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs minister, Patrick Chinamasa could not
confirm to what use the plane had been put, after it was declared government property
last September, in accordance with international law standards.
“The issue of that plane is an administrative matter. I think the only important
thing that you have to note is that the court ordered that the plane was forfeited to
the state. Whether it will be used or where it will be used is neither here nor
there, and if it becomes important for the public to know, then we let them know. At
the present moment there is no need for the public to know what has happened to that
plane,” said Chinamasa. Minister of State Security Nicholas Goche could not be
reached for comment at the time of going to press.
Speculation had been rife that the forfeited airplane would be given to Zimbabwe’s
beleaguered national airline, Air Zimbabwe, which has been hard hit by operational
problems, one of them being a critical shortage of aircraft.
Despite the Boeing 727 model being the world’s second most successful jet airliner –
behind the 737 make - it however is unlikely that Air Zimbabwe will be interested in
the 41-year-old aircraft.
The prototype 727 first flew on February 9, 1963, and was granted certification in
December of that year, before the first 727 entered service on February 9 1964.
Production of the 727-100 ceased in 1973.
In contrast, the 737 models, of which Air Zimbabwe has owned a couple, made their
maiden flights in 1965 and are still in production.
A glance at the life of the mercenary aircraft reveals that the plane had endured
heavy usage during its 41-year-old history, thus making it an unattractive option to
the national airline for commercial passenger use.
The plane, registered in the United States, first saw commercial aircraft duty in
1964 after National Airlines bought it from Boeing, before it was sold to Intercredit
Corp in 1985, which sold the plane in the same year to Boeing Military Airplane
Company.
On October 3 1985, Boeing Military Airplane Company then sold the ill-fated aircraft
to US general Services Administration and from that period to January 1 2002 when it
was sold to Dodson International Parts, the aircraft was used by United States Air
Force as part of the National Guard.
Dodson resold the plane within three days of having purchased it to Dodson Aviation,
which owned the plane until March 7 when Zimbabwean officials seized it.
Sunday 13 February, 2005
National News
Fate of mercenary plane under wraps
Kuda Chikwanda Chief Staff Writer
THE fate of the Boeing 727-100 airplane at the midst of the mercenary saga that
gripped Zimbabwe last year and which was resultantly forfeited to the government of
Zimbabwe, remains unknown with government officials refusing to shed any meaningful
light on the use of the plane.
The plane brought the convicted mercenaries to Zimbabwe in March last year, as they
were en route to the Equatorial Guinea to stage a coup, and made a stop-over in
Zimbabwe to enable the mercenaries to make weapons purchases.
The aircraft was then seized by Zimbabwean authorities, who smelt a rat after the
plane’s crew made a false declaration at Harare International Airport.
The magistrates court, in September last year, ruled that US$ 3 million (Z$ 18,6
billion) airplane be forfeited to the state, last September during the delivery of a
judgment in the case of the mercenaries who had arrived into the country illegally
aboard the airplane.
According to official communiqués from the Attorney General’s (AG) office that were
made in September 2004 after the decision by the magistrate’s court, the forfeiture
of the airplane was in accordance with international law standards.
“…if anyone has an interest in the forfeiture, they have up to three years to apply
for the reversal of such forfeiture,” said then Acting-AG, Bharat Patel after the
court order.
However up to now, there has been no application for such forfeiture.
Efforts to get a comment from the ministry of Transport and Communications, part of
whose mandate is overseeing the aviation industry, on the intended use of the plane
yielded nought, with ministry officials denying any involvement with the aircraft.
“Our ministry never handled that issue. It was handled by the justice and security
ministries. We don’t know anything about that airplane apart from that it was
forfeited to the state last year,” said Transport and Communications secretary,
Karikoga Kaseke.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs minister, Patrick Chinamasa could not
confirm to what use the plane had been put, after it was declared government property
last September, in accordance with international law standards.
“The issue of that plane is an administrative matter. I think the only important
thing that you have to note is that the court ordered that the plane was forfeited to
the state. Whether it will be used or where it will be used is neither here nor
there, and if it becomes important for the public to know, then we let them know. At
the present moment there is no need for the public to know what has happened to that
plane,” said Chinamasa. Minister of State Security Nicholas Goche could not be
reached for comment at the time of going to press.
Speculation had been rife that the forfeited airplane would be given to Zimbabwe’s
beleaguered national airline, Air Zimbabwe, which has been hard hit by operational
problems, one of them being a critical shortage of aircraft.
Despite the Boeing 727 model being the world’s second most successful jet airliner –
behind the 737 make - it however is unlikely that Air Zimbabwe will be interested in
the 41-year-old aircraft.
The prototype 727 first flew on February 9, 1963, and was granted certification in
December of that year, before the first 727 entered service on February 9 1964.
Production of the 727-100 ceased in 1973.
In contrast, the 737 models, of which Air Zimbabwe has owned a couple, made their
maiden flights in 1965 and are still in production.
A glance at the life of the mercenary aircraft reveals that the plane had endured
heavy usage during its 41-year-old history, thus making it an unattractive option to
the national airline for commercial passenger use.
The plane, registered in the United States, first saw commercial aircraft duty in
1964 after National Airlines bought it from Boeing, before it was sold to Intercredit
Corp in 1985, which sold the plane in the same year to Boeing Military Airplane
Company.
On October 3 1985, Boeing Military Airplane Company then sold the ill-fated aircraft
to US general Services Administration and from that period to January 1 2002 when it
was sold to Dodson International Parts, the aircraft was used by United States Air
Force as part of the National Guard.
Dodson resold the plane within three days of having purchased it to Dodson Aviation,
which owned the plane until March 7 when Zimbabwean officials seized it.
GunsssR4ever
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Thank you Zimbabwe ... ther might be some humanity left afterall ...
News just released
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1670431,00.html
4-month 'bonus' for Zim 70
Harare - Zimbabwe High Court has reduced by four months the sentences of a group of
suspected mercenaries jailed in connection with an alleged coup plot in Equatorial
Guinea, said a court official on Wednesday.
"I can confirm that the sentences of the suspected mercenaries and the two pilots
have been reduced by four months," said a court source.
Judge Yunus Omerjee gave no reasons when he handed down his ruling in an application
made by the suspected mercenaries' lawyers late last year.
"If my calculations are right, the men should be released immediately," said their
South African-based lawyer, Alwyn Griebenow.
Last year, a lower court jailed the group, including former British soldier Simon
Mann, on various convictions for breaching Zimbabwe's aviation, immigration, firearms
and security laws.
Mann was slapped with a seven-year jail term, later reduced to four years.
The two pilots who flew a plane into Harare to collect arms got 16 months and the
rest were jailed for 12 months.
Griebenow said the men serving the one-year term now had to serve only eight months,
which ended on May 10.
But, under Zimbabwean law, the men also qualify for a one-third remission of sentence
for well-behaved prisoners.
Counting this reduction, all the men - except the two pilots who received longer jail
terms - should be released immediately.
The court official said the men would be freed into the custody of Zimbabwe's
immigration department for deportation to South Africa as they had been declared
illegal immigrants.
Mann, a former member of Britain's crack Special Air Services (SAS) force, along with
69 others were arrested on March 7 last year at Harare International Airport en route
to Equatorial Guinea.
They were accused of being on their way to join an advance party in the west African
state of Equatorial Guinea in a plot to overthrow longtime leader Teodoro Obiang
Nguema.
The men denied the charges, claiming they were on their way to the Democratic
Republic of Congo to guard mines.
British businessman Sir Mark Thatcher, who was accused of partly financing the
alleged plot, was recently fined by a South African court for violating
anti-mercenary laws and paid a R3m fine.
4-month 'bonus' for Zim 70
Harare - Zimbabwe High Court has reduced by four months the sentences of a group of
suspected mercenaries jailed in connection with an alleged coup plot in Equatorial
Guinea, said a court official on Wednesday.
"I can confirm that the sentences of the suspected mercenaries and the two pilots
have been reduced by four months," said a court source.
Judge Yunus Omerjee gave no reasons when he handed down his ruling in an application
made by the suspected mercenaries' lawyers late last year.
"If my calculations are right, the men should be released immediately," said their
South African-based lawyer, Alwyn Griebenow.
Last year, a lower court jailed the group, including former British soldier Simon
Mann, on various convictions for breaching Zimbabwe's aviation, immigration, firearms
and security laws.
Mann was slapped with a seven-year jail term, later reduced to four years.
The two pilots who flew a plane into Harare to collect arms got 16 months and the
rest were jailed for 12 months.
Griebenow said the men serving the one-year term now had to serve only eight months,
which ended on May 10.
But, under Zimbabwean law, the men also qualify for a one-third remission of sentence
for well-behaved prisoners.
Counting this reduction, all the men - except the two pilots who received longer jail
terms - should be released immediately.
The court official said the men would be freed into the custody of Zimbabwe's
immigration department for deportation to South Africa as they had been declared
illegal immigrants.
Mann, a former member of Britain's crack Special Air Services (SAS) force, along with
69 others were arrested on March 7 last year at Harare International Airport en route
to Equatorial Guinea.
They were accused of being on their way to join an advance party in the west African
state of Equatorial Guinea in a plot to overthrow longtime leader Teodoro Obiang
Nguema.
The men denied the charges, claiming they were on their way to the Democratic
Republic of Congo to guard mines.
British businessman Sir Mark Thatcher, who was accused of partly financing the
alleged plot, was recently fined by a South African court for violating
anti-mercenary laws and paid a R3m fine.
News just released
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1670681,00.html
Most of a group of 66 suspected South African mercenaries jailed in Zimbabwe last year will be freed on Thursday, a South African official said.
"We expect them to arrive on Johannesburg in the afternoon," foreign affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said on Thursday morning.
Most of a group of 66 suspected South African mercenaries jailed in Zimbabwe last year will be freed on Thursday, a South African official said.
"We expect them to arrive on Johannesburg in the afternoon," foreign affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said on Thursday morning.
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Cavortingkitty, it appears has no love for Mark. So be it. As far as Im concerned, hes welcome in the U.S. and the dude from the E.Q. can live in SA, next to Aristide and all the long line of others that seems to be finding large estates funded by the SA Taxpayer, are the way to go.
Get your head out.
Get your head out.
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Only red tape stop them now ...
Pretoria - The wheels were in motion late on Thursday afternoon for the homecoming of 64 suspected South African mercenaries jailed in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwean authorities were processing deportation papers for the men, after which they would be handed over to immigration officials, said foreign affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa.
The men are to be freed after having their prison sentences cut by four months.
There was no clarity on Thursday afternoon when the men would arrive.
Mamoepa said they might arrive in Johannesburg later on Thursday, but the men's lawyer said he did not expect them back before Saturday morning.
Alwyn Griebenow said: "There is a long process involved in getting them out."
Lots of paperwork to be done
Before they could be deported, the men's passports and private belongings kept by the Zimbabwean authorities would have to be returned to them.
There also was a lot of paperwork to be completed, said Griebenow.
"The plane tickets can't be bought before we know exactly when they are going to be freed.
"Our embassy officials there (in Harare) are in discussions with prison and immigration officials on how and when the release will take place."
Mamoepa said the men's lawyers would pay for their plane tickets.
Griebenow was due to leave for Harare on Thursday and arrive there at 21:00.
"I should have more clarity by Friday morning as to what will happen (and) when."
Sixty-seven of the original 70 men arrested in connection with an alleged coup d'etat plot in Equatorial Guinea were in prison in Zimbabwe. Two were acquitted and one died in jail.
Griebenow said 64 of them were expected to be released this week. Two pilots might not be freed with the others.
The Zimbabwean High Court on Wednesday reduced the men's sentences by four months. They also qualified under Zimbabwean laws for a one-third remission of sentence for good behaviour.
As a result, 64 of the men - who were sentenced to 12 months in jail each - qualified for an immediate release.
Two pilots, who each got 16-month sentences, would be due for release only on May 10, said Griebenow.
"But we will be negotiating with the Zimbabwean authorities, asking them to release the two with the others as an act of goodwill."
Mann will have to stay behind
The 67th prisoner, the group's apparent leader, Simon Mann, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, later reduced to four years, and would have to remain behind.
The group was arrested at Harare International Airport in March last year when they apparently landed to refuel and pick up military equipment. They were all travelling on South African passports.
They were convicted of breaching Zimbabwe's aviation, immigration, firearms and security laws.
Mamoepa said on Thursday there had been no political or diplomatic efforts to get the men home earlier.
"This was a purely (Zimbabwean) judicial decision," he said.
Zimbabwean authorities were processing deportation papers for the men, after which they would be handed over to immigration officials, said foreign affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa.
The men are to be freed after having their prison sentences cut by four months.
There was no clarity on Thursday afternoon when the men would arrive.
Mamoepa said they might arrive in Johannesburg later on Thursday, but the men's lawyer said he did not expect them back before Saturday morning.
Alwyn Griebenow said: "There is a long process involved in getting them out."
Lots of paperwork to be done
Before they could be deported, the men's passports and private belongings kept by the Zimbabwean authorities would have to be returned to them.
There also was a lot of paperwork to be completed, said Griebenow.
"The plane tickets can't be bought before we know exactly when they are going to be freed.
"Our embassy officials there (in Harare) are in discussions with prison and immigration officials on how and when the release will take place."
Mamoepa said the men's lawyers would pay for their plane tickets.
Griebenow was due to leave for Harare on Thursday and arrive there at 21:00.
"I should have more clarity by Friday morning as to what will happen (and) when."
Sixty-seven of the original 70 men arrested in connection with an alleged coup d'etat plot in Equatorial Guinea were in prison in Zimbabwe. Two were acquitted and one died in jail.
Griebenow said 64 of them were expected to be released this week. Two pilots might not be freed with the others.
The Zimbabwean High Court on Wednesday reduced the men's sentences by four months. They also qualified under Zimbabwean laws for a one-third remission of sentence for good behaviour.
As a result, 64 of the men - who were sentenced to 12 months in jail each - qualified for an immediate release.
Two pilots, who each got 16-month sentences, would be due for release only on May 10, said Griebenow.
"But we will be negotiating with the Zimbabwean authorities, asking them to release the two with the others as an act of goodwill."
Mann will have to stay behind
The 67th prisoner, the group's apparent leader, Simon Mann, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, later reduced to four years, and would have to remain behind.
The group was arrested at Harare International Airport in March last year when they apparently landed to refuel and pick up military equipment. They were all travelling on South African passports.
They were convicted of breaching Zimbabwe's aviation, immigration, firearms and security laws.
Mamoepa said on Thursday there had been no political or diplomatic efforts to get the men home earlier.
"This was a purely (Zimbabwean) judicial decision," he said.
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Cavortingcheetah, it is evident from your postings on the subject here that you are very much in the dark about this affair, that you are thumbsucking and that you know very little about what this whole thing is all about.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and as fellow ppruners we value your opinion, but please my man, please just apply your mind and logic before posting such pathetic statements.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and as fellow ppruners we value your opinion, but please my man, please just apply your mind and logic before posting such pathetic statements.
GunsssR4ever
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Perhaps you did not have the advantage of following his lack lustre career through Saudi Arabia and the Sahara some years ago. The European press are rather better informed than some others.
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HUH?
I know I am a rockspider, but am I the only one that thinks the frolicking lesser spotted predator is talking in code? Like there is a spy ops call up or something,Or maybe he is using one of those bad, language translator programs available on the market to Japanese tourists?
Gunns?
Gunns?
Está servira para distraerle.
Let me please lay this one to rest. I enjoy Prune far too much to wish to upset people in any way other than a rather jocular one. I have a special predilection for the witticisms of many who write in not least of all the last two before this pensive missive.
I speak not in code, nor do I translate. I could do this thread in Spanish or French, except that, English is the language! ek praat nie die tal ( is that right?) you will see that Afrikaans is not one of my talents although I would commend Ian Bennett's book 'A Rain of Lead' The Siege and Surrender of the British at Potchefstroom, as being a cracking good read. (ISBN 1 85367 437 0 )
I are a rockspider too.
MT has a sister called Carol(e), hence the Christmas reflections. I gather, from a newscast I watched the other day, as the dear boy jetted up from JHB en route to Dallas, Ho Ho, that she was less than pleased with her sibling's antics. I think that she said something like
the papers. That is the extent of my Enigma Machine.
GunsssR4ever
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Scorpions waiting for "Mercenaries"
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20050305102152302C38 6936
Scorpions waiting for freed 'mercenaries'
By Michael Schmidt
It's out of the fire and into the frying pan for the 64 alleged mercenaries who look
set to be released from Chikurubi Prison in Zimbabwe on Saturday.
After their arrival in South Africa the National Prosecuting Authority will question
them with a view to prosecuting them under South African anti-mercenary legislation.
South African intelligence agents, members of the priority crimes litigation unit of
the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and NPA investigators - probably from the
Directorate of Special Operations (the "Scorpions") - are likely to interrogate the
men on their return to South Africa about the thwarted plot to overthrow Equatorial
Guinea dictator Teodoro Obiang Nguema.
'I don't want to celebrate until his feet are on South African soil'
The men were arrested in Harare in March last year, where the aircraft they were
travelling in, a Boeing 727, had landed, allegedly to pick up arms from a contact at
Zimbabwean Defence Industries to be used to overthrow Obiang.
"Our role is pretty clear," said NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi, "and that is,
where the law has been broken there has to be a prosecution.
"We need to look at the facts of the matter and, if there is a need to question them,
we will do that with a view to a possible prosecution. We're not going to prosecute
them in terms of the Zimbabwean laws because they have been prosecuted and punished
for that," Nkosi said.
He was referring to the 12-month sentence, reduced by high court order this week by
four months, that the 63 alleged mercenaries and flight engineer Ken Payne received
last year for contravening Zimbabwe's aviation, immigration and firearms laws.
"Instead, we will be looking at the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.
Immediately there is a suspicion they could have broken that law, we are going to be
investigating."
He stressed the men would not be picked up at the airport but would be interviewed
later.
Nkosi said the NPA was also weighing up whether or not to prosecute three other
alleged mercenaries: Mark Schmidt, Americo Riberio and Ablo Augusto, who were
acquitted by Equatorial Guinea after nine months in Black Beach prison.
The fact that acquittal under foreign laws does not mean suspects automatically
escape prosecution under South African law was shown by the case of three other men
who were originally among those arrested in Zimbabwe for their alleged role in the
Guinean coup.
Commercial pilot Crause Steyl was fined R200 000 or 10 years for having taken part in
the plot to overthrow Obiang.
Steyl was fined in line with a plea-bargain that had seen him give evidence against
financier Sir Mark Thatcher.
Two of Steyl's accomplices who had also given evidence against Thatcher after being
sent home from Zimbabwe, Lourens Horn and Harry Carlse, were each fined R75 000 or
four years for their part in the plot. Steyl, Horn and Carlse were additionally each
given four-year suspended sentences.
In January, Thatcher plea-bargained his own fate down to a R3-million fine and a
four-year suspended sentence for having financed a helicopter that was to have been
used in the coup.
Alwyn Griebenow, the Port Elizabeth lawyer acting for the men in Harare, admitted he
expected his clients to be grilled by intelligence agents and prosecuting authorities
on their return, saying he was negotiating this with the Scorpions.
Speaking from Harare on Friday, Payne's wife, Marge, said she was "very excited"
about her husband's imminent release; but there had been "so many ups and downs that
I don't want to celebrate until his feet are on South African soil".
Scorpions waiting for freed 'mercenaries'
By Michael Schmidt
It's out of the fire and into the frying pan for the 64 alleged mercenaries who look
set to be released from Chikurubi Prison in Zimbabwe on Saturday.
After their arrival in South Africa the National Prosecuting Authority will question
them with a view to prosecuting them under South African anti-mercenary legislation.
South African intelligence agents, members of the priority crimes litigation unit of
the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and NPA investigators - probably from the
Directorate of Special Operations (the "Scorpions") - are likely to interrogate the
men on their return to South Africa about the thwarted plot to overthrow Equatorial
Guinea dictator Teodoro Obiang Nguema.
'I don't want to celebrate until his feet are on South African soil'
The men were arrested in Harare in March last year, where the aircraft they were
travelling in, a Boeing 727, had landed, allegedly to pick up arms from a contact at
Zimbabwean Defence Industries to be used to overthrow Obiang.
"Our role is pretty clear," said NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi, "and that is,
where the law has been broken there has to be a prosecution.
"We need to look at the facts of the matter and, if there is a need to question them,
we will do that with a view to a possible prosecution. We're not going to prosecute
them in terms of the Zimbabwean laws because they have been prosecuted and punished
for that," Nkosi said.
He was referring to the 12-month sentence, reduced by high court order this week by
four months, that the 63 alleged mercenaries and flight engineer Ken Payne received
last year for contravening Zimbabwe's aviation, immigration and firearms laws.
"Instead, we will be looking at the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.
Immediately there is a suspicion they could have broken that law, we are going to be
investigating."
He stressed the men would not be picked up at the airport but would be interviewed
later.
Nkosi said the NPA was also weighing up whether or not to prosecute three other
alleged mercenaries: Mark Schmidt, Americo Riberio and Ablo Augusto, who were
acquitted by Equatorial Guinea after nine months in Black Beach prison.
The fact that acquittal under foreign laws does not mean suspects automatically
escape prosecution under South African law was shown by the case of three other men
who were originally among those arrested in Zimbabwe for their alleged role in the
Guinean coup.
Commercial pilot Crause Steyl was fined R200 000 or 10 years for having taken part in
the plot to overthrow Obiang.
Steyl was fined in line with a plea-bargain that had seen him give evidence against
financier Sir Mark Thatcher.
Two of Steyl's accomplices who had also given evidence against Thatcher after being
sent home from Zimbabwe, Lourens Horn and Harry Carlse, were each fined R75 000 or
four years for their part in the plot. Steyl, Horn and Carlse were additionally each
given four-year suspended sentences.
In January, Thatcher plea-bargained his own fate down to a R3-million fine and a
four-year suspended sentence for having financed a helicopter that was to have been
used in the coup.
Alwyn Griebenow, the Port Elizabeth lawyer acting for the men in Harare, admitted he
expected his clients to be grilled by intelligence agents and prosecuting authorities
on their return, saying he was negotiating this with the Scorpions.
Speaking from Harare on Friday, Payne's wife, Marge, said she was "very excited"
about her husband's imminent release; but there had been "so many ups and downs that
I don't want to celebrate until his feet are on South African soil".
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I, for one will be waiting to welcome the boys home..
One point here - the SA "authorities" said, right at the beginning, that there was "not enough evidence" to investigate or even to stop the plane before departure, but then quickly sold everyone down the river to the Zimboon goons. NOW, they say they will interview the guys returning....?
The whole thing stinks....
I wouldn't be surprised if there have been more backhanders in this between Mad Bob and some governmunt "officials" in SA, than the Mo and Zuma goon show..
R
One point here - the SA "authorities" said, right at the beginning, that there was "not enough evidence" to investigate or even to stop the plane before departure, but then quickly sold everyone down the river to the Zimboon goons. NOW, they say they will interview the guys returning....?
The whole thing stinks....
I wouldn't be surprised if there have been more backhanders in this between Mad Bob and some governmunt "officials" in SA, than the Mo and Zuma goon show..
R
GunsssR4ever
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Ja I think it's quite clear that the SA gov knew all about it but cleverly let them dig their own grave.
Most probably informing some corrupt bobbofficials and there we go ... bob is happy that he "caught out" the American's / British and and and ... what a joke.
I just wish I can hear the REAL story ... gotta wait another 2 weeks till I will reunite with 3 great friends
Take care out there ..
Gunss
Most probably informing some corrupt bobbofficials and there we go ... bob is happy that he "caught out" the American's / British and and and ... what a joke.
I just wish I can hear the REAL story ... gotta wait another 2 weeks till I will reunite with 3 great friends
Take care out there ..
Gunss
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In the words of one of our well known philosophers "Its aint over, till its over"
Watch out for the stinger tails to walk in and keep the fires burning. Should be no surprise.
These guys are gonna need a lot of support upon return.....EVERY ONE of them.
Watch out for the stinger tails to walk in and keep the fires burning. Should be no surprise.
These guys are gonna need a lot of support upon return.....EVERY ONE of them.