ZIMbobWE seizes US cargo Plane and Mercenaries
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Seems to me you've all lost the plot.
This is BLACK africa where jungle justice prevails!
You need not be proven guilty to be incaserated.
Being a likely suspect is enough. There need not be any proof,evidence etc.
We all need to keep our fingers crossed and hope things pan out well for them, otherwise they will be hung accoding to the rumours on ground!
We should all face reality,if you get mixed up with a particular set of people,you get associated with them! Thats from the famous "show me your friends and i tell you who you are".
This is BLACK africa where jungle justice prevails!
You need not be proven guilty to be incaserated.
Being a likely suspect is enough. There need not be any proof,evidence etc.
We all need to keep our fingers crossed and hope things pan out well for them, otherwise they will be hung accoding to the rumours on ground!
We should all face reality,if you get mixed up with a particular set of people,you get associated with them! Thats from the famous "show me your friends and i tell you who you are".
GunsssR4ever
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Eventually .. 
Full Report :
Two South African pilots who flew suspected mercenaries to Harare last year entered South Africa at the Beit Bridge road border post on Saturday evening, their lawyer said.
Alwyn Griebenow said that a light aircraft took Yaap Steyl and Hamman Jacobus from Beit Bridge to Pretoria where they would be reunited with their families before facing prosecution in South Africa.
They are scheduled to join eight others in court for contravening sections of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.
"They will first have the opportunity to reunite with their families in Pretoria," said Griebenow.
Alwyn Griebenow said that a light aircraft took Yaap Steyl and Hamman Jacobus from Beit Bridge to Pretoria where they would be reunited with their families before facing prosecution in South Africa.
They are scheduled to join eight others in court for contravening sections of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.
"They will first have the opportunity to reunite with their families in Pretoria," said Griebenow.
GunsssR4ever
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Pilot's to be prosecuted
This is sad news ... but what do you expect hey ?
Full Story
The two South African pilots who flew suspected mercenaries to Harare last year are back home, and will be allowed to spend some time with their families before facing prosecution for contravening sections of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act
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A Pilot's story ..
From the Mail and Guardian :
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx..._news__africa/
South African pilot Niel Steyl experienced his release from Zimbabwean prison at the weekend as the start of a second innings, News24 reported on Monday.
"It feels as if I was clean-bowled out of my first life, but the second innings of my life started on Saturday," he told reporter Erika Gibson.
Steyl and Hendrik Hamman, a pilot from Namibia, were held in the Chikurubi maximum security prison in Zimbabwe for 17 months before being freed on Saturday.
"I would probably have done better sleeping on the carpet in front of the bed rather than on the bed," Steyl said after his first night back in a clean and comfortable room. The men slept on a bare concrete floor in prison.
Steyl and Hamman were arrested with 67 South Africans at the Harare airport in March last year. They had allegedly stopped to pick up weapons to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea.
Steyl said the Zimbabwean prison officials played games about when and how the two pilots would be released.
The pilots' families bought airline tickets for them to fly to South Africa, but things did not go as expected.
"We were woken up fairly roughly at 4.30 that [Saturday] morning. We were handcuffed and shackled and put on the back of a bakkie," Steyl recounted.
"We did not know what was happening until we realised we were moving in the direction of the border.
"Before and behind us there were vehicles with armed soldiers. At Masvingo, the bakkie was low on petrol and we turned in the direction of Mutare before going to the border post.
"At Beit Bridge, we were still in chains until an official from the South African side came to fetch us."
Steyl flew to Pretoria with his brother Johan, and his father, also Johan. Hamman's family came to fetch him.
On his time in prison, Steyl said his saving grace was that he remained fit.
"I stepped up and down on the toilet 900 times with both feet every morning. I made weights with water bottles and towels and exercised. When we were let out, I jogged."
He also taught other inmates how to play chess.
"I was initially very scared. These are some of the roughest guys you can imagine and homosexual activities were the order of the day. Funnily enough, they left me alone. The other bad thing was the number of people who die all around you."
Steyl said he would miss Philip Bezuidenhout, a farmer from Mutare who lost his farm in 2001 when war veterans started taking over the farms.
"He accidentally killed one of the veterans when he hit him with his car and was found guilty of murder. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but he is such a decent person who will probably not hurt a fly. He will have to spend at least another seven years behind bars."
Steyl was united with his three brothers, parents and family on Saturday night and spent the day with them on Sunday.
Said his mother Rina: "I am so happy; I missed him terribly. He looks good and fit and has not lost his sense of humour." - Sapa
"It feels as if I was clean-bowled out of my first life, but the second innings of my life started on Saturday," he told reporter Erika Gibson.
Steyl and Hendrik Hamman, a pilot from Namibia, were held in the Chikurubi maximum security prison in Zimbabwe for 17 months before being freed on Saturday.
"I would probably have done better sleeping on the carpet in front of the bed rather than on the bed," Steyl said after his first night back in a clean and comfortable room. The men slept on a bare concrete floor in prison.
Steyl and Hamman were arrested with 67 South Africans at the Harare airport in March last year. They had allegedly stopped to pick up weapons to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea.
Steyl said the Zimbabwean prison officials played games about when and how the two pilots would be released.
The pilots' families bought airline tickets for them to fly to South Africa, but things did not go as expected.
"We were woken up fairly roughly at 4.30 that [Saturday] morning. We were handcuffed and shackled and put on the back of a bakkie," Steyl recounted.
"We did not know what was happening until we realised we were moving in the direction of the border.
"Before and behind us there were vehicles with armed soldiers. At Masvingo, the bakkie was low on petrol and we turned in the direction of Mutare before going to the border post.
"At Beit Bridge, we were still in chains until an official from the South African side came to fetch us."
Steyl flew to Pretoria with his brother Johan, and his father, also Johan. Hamman's family came to fetch him.
On his time in prison, Steyl said his saving grace was that he remained fit.
"I stepped up and down on the toilet 900 times with both feet every morning. I made weights with water bottles and towels and exercised. When we were let out, I jogged."
He also taught other inmates how to play chess.
"I was initially very scared. These are some of the roughest guys you can imagine and homosexual activities were the order of the day. Funnily enough, they left me alone. The other bad thing was the number of people who die all around you."
Steyl said he would miss Philip Bezuidenhout, a farmer from Mutare who lost his farm in 2001 when war veterans started taking over the farms.
"He accidentally killed one of the veterans when he hit him with his car and was found guilty of murder. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but he is such a decent person who will probably not hurt a fly. He will have to spend at least another seven years behind bars."
Steyl was united with his three brothers, parents and family on Saturday night and spent the day with them on Sunday.
Said his mother Rina: "I am so happy; I missed him terribly. He looks good and fit and has not lost his sense of humour." - Sapa
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2 Pilot's to be charged ...
Two pilots, who flew suspected mercenaries to Harare last year, are expected to be brought before a Pretoria court in September, said the national prosecuting authority on Tuesday.
Neil Steyl and Hendrik Hamman would be charged under the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act, said the authority's Lucinda Moonieya.
Depending on what transpired at their first appearance, the case could be joined with that of eight alleged mercenaries due to go on trial on January 16 next year.
Should the two plead guilty, they would have a separate trial and sentencing procedure.
Moonieya said a definite date for Steyl and Hamman's first appearance in Pretoria regional court had not been set.
"We decided to give them a month or so to settle in with their families before taking them to court. It will be some time in September."
Neil Steyl and Hendrik Hamman would be charged under the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act, said the authority's Lucinda Moonieya.
Depending on what transpired at their first appearance, the case could be joined with that of eight alleged mercenaries due to go on trial on January 16 next year.
Should the two plead guilty, they would have a separate trial and sentencing procedure.
Moonieya said a definite date for Steyl and Hamman's first appearance in Pretoria regional court had not been set.
"We decided to give them a month or so to settle in with their families before taking them to court. It will be some time in September."
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"Moonieya said a definite date for Steyl and Hamman's first appearance in Pretoria regional court had not been set.
"We decided to give them a month or so to settle in with their families before taking them to court. It will be some time in September.""
That translates to lets continue to fxxx over these poor guys for sxxx that never happened...
"We decided to give them a month or so to settle in with their families before taking them to court. It will be some time in September.""
That translates to lets continue to fxxx over these poor guys for sxxx that never happened...
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Attention Gunns
Gunns, I salute you.
You kept this thread alive with some very up to date info. I worked with the Steyl brothers and Ken in “previous life”. Often though it could have been me, as not many of us say no to a charter, it is our bread and butter after all.
It was good to see and hear about the support given to them, through this forum and some old colleges.
One of the reasons I got into aviation in the late 70’s was the camaraderie. Unfortunately when you join the bigger airlines it is every one for himself.
If ever I am in trouble I sure hope I have friends like Gunns out there.
Hope to meet and buy you a beer oneday Gunns!
You kept this thread alive with some very up to date info. I worked with the Steyl brothers and Ken in “previous life”. Often though it could have been me, as not many of us say no to a charter, it is our bread and butter after all.
It was good to see and hear about the support given to them, through this forum and some old colleges.
One of the reasons I got into aviation in the late 70’s was the camaraderie. Unfortunately when you join the bigger airlines it is every one for himself.
If ever I am in trouble I sure hope I have friends like Gunns out there.
Hope to meet and buy you a beer oneday Gunns!
GunsssR4ever
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Cheers Beta Light. Kind words.
I know the pilot's - I know three guys that sat at the back (very, very well) and this was started by me (and I have not edited anything) basically as a joke as I could not believe it !
(Therefore the Smiley on my first post to open the thread).
Over the year (s) this has become a serious thread and what I am so grateful for (once again I do not take sides as they have NOT been found guilty by any civiliased court) was that PPRUNERS stood together (well some has) and send them those parcels just before Xmass.
The great news - they got it (some of it anyway) and that I (and I am sure they) will always be very thankful for !
The end is not in sight - let's see how we can support Hendrik and Niel further when their case comes up.
To me they just did a flight. (in other words their job).
Cheers,
Gunss
I know the pilot's - I know three guys that sat at the back (very, very well) and this was started by me (and I have not edited anything) basically as a joke as I could not believe it !
(Therefore the Smiley on my first post to open the thread).
Over the year (s) this has become a serious thread and what I am so grateful for (once again I do not take sides as they have NOT been found guilty by any civiliased court) was that PPRUNERS stood together (well some has) and send them those parcels just before Xmass.
The great news - they got it (some of it anyway) and that I (and I am sure they) will always be very thankful for !
The end is not in sight - let's see how we can support Hendrik and Niel further when their case comes up.
To me they just did a flight. (in other words their job).
Cheers,
Gunss
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Re: ZIMbobWE seizes US cargo Plane and Mercenaries
Originally Posted by Gunship
Does anybody know if the court date is still 16 Jan 06 ?
Pretoria - The trial of nine men accused of involvement in a planned coup d'etat in Equatorial Guinea was postponed until July in Pretoria regional court on Monday.
Under an arrangement with the defence, the men - all out on warning - did not appear in court, said prosecutor Torie Pretorius.
Their trial has been set down for July 31 to August 4, August 7 to August 11, and August 21 to August 25.
The men are part of a group of 61 who returned to South Africa in May after spending more than a year in a Zimbabwean prison.
South African authorities have declined to prosecute the rest.
The 61 were convicted in Zimbabwe of violating immigration, aviation, firearms and security laws related to an alleged plot to topple the government of Equatorial Guinea president Theodoro Obiang Nguema.
Under an arrangement with the defence, the men - all out on warning - did not appear in court, said prosecutor Torie Pretorius.
Their trial has been set down for July 31 to August 4, August 7 to August 11, and August 21 to August 25.
The men are part of a group of 61 who returned to South Africa in May after spending more than a year in a Zimbabwean prison.
South African authorities have declined to prosecute the rest.
The 61 were convicted in Zimbabwe of violating immigration, aviation, firearms and security laws related to an alleged plot to topple the government of Equatorial Guinea president Theodoro Obiang Nguema.
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The Royals prefer the mercs
Originally Posted by Gunship
Update :
From News 24
From News 24
By MARTIN BECKFORD and ANDREW WILKS, The Mail on Sunday 22:00pm 22nd July 2006
Jack the lad: Harry and William boycotted Bea's party to attend Mann's (right) birthday bash
Headlines
Prince William and Prince Harry missed their cousin Beatrice's 18th birthday celebrations at Windsor Castle to party with the son of a jailed mercenary, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
As close relatives of Princess Beatrice, they had been expected to be among the guests at her themed ball.
Instead, they spent the evening dancing with friends at the Oxfordshire home of Jack Mann - the son of ex-SAS officer Simon Mann, who is serving seven years in a Zimbabwean prison over his role as the ringleader in an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea.
Sir Mark Thatcher was also accused of being involved in the plot but escaped jail after paying a £265,000 fine.
While guests at the formal event, hosted by the Duke and Duchess of York, wore Victorian bodices or military uniforms, revellers at Jack Mann's 23rd birthday celebrations dressed down in jeans and T-shirts.
And as Beatrice mixed with Elle Macpherson, Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne and Peaches Geldof - with butlers and maids attending to their needs - guests at Mann's event helped themselves to bottles of wine and cans of lager.
Party-goers - including Harry's South African girlfriend Chelsy Davy, wearing a floral summer dress with sunglasses perched on her head - also queued for chicken drumsticks, sausages and burgers cooked on a giant grill.
Harry is a close friend of Stowe-educated Jack, who trained alongside him at Sandhurst military college. The pair have both now been commissioned in the Blues and Royals.
Earlier, William, 24, and Harry, 21, spent the afternoon on the polo field. William rode alongside Jack as the Combined Services team beat South Africa at Tidworth, Wiltshire. In the next match, Harry scored three goals as his Army side beat the Royal Navy.
Having a ball
Then the Princes headed to Grange Farm in Over Worton in Oxfordshire to join 200 guests at the estate of Jack's stepfather Richard Schuster. Mr Schuster married Jack's mother Jennifer in 1986.
Harry, wearing jeans and a dark green polo shirt, with a baseball cap tucked in his back pocket, was at the centre of the party - knocking back spirits and perching on the knees of admiring girls, despite the presence of his girlfriend. One guest said: "Harry started off all right but then he changed from drinking cans of Carlsberg to something in a glass. You could see his glass was getting fuller each time and he was having a real giggle with people.
"Then he went and sat on girls' laps, having a chat with them. Everyone was drunk by the end of it.
"Harry wasn't ratted but he was drunk. You could tell he'd had a few but he was just having a laugh with everyone."
While his brother entered into the party spirit, William, dressed in jeans and a dark blue T-shirt, did not eat a thing and left after an hour spent sipping from a can of Carlsberg.
It appears the gravity of Army life was never far from Harry's mind.
"He said how much he was enjoying it and that he wouldn't mind if he got sent out to Iraq or Afghanistan as long as he was serving his country,' said the guest.
But one topic not mentioned at all during the evening was cousin Beatrice's party being held an hour's drive away.
"I don't think anyone ever thought about it,' added the guest.
Last night a spokesman for Clarence House said: "It was made clear at the time of Beatrice's party that the Princes had other commitments. And we don't comment about what they do in their private life."
Impounded B727 - is it in Harare?
Had a peep at Harare airport on the Google and noticed what looked like a B727 on the airforce side of the field. Would this be the one they grabbed the crew & pax from in the ill fated coup attempt? (see other thread)
Who needs a spy satellite these days!?
Who needs a spy satellite these days!?
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SA delays suspected mercenaries' trial by almost 6 months again
SA delays suspected mercenaries' trial
Johannesburg, South Africa
27 July 2006 12:09
The South African trial of nine men charged in an alleged plot to topple the president of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea has been delayed until next year, the men's lawyer said on Thursday.
Alwyn Griebenow said the trial, seen as a test of South Africa's anti-mercenary laws, had been postponed from next week due to scheduling conflicts with lawyers.
"The trial will only commence on the 5th of February next year," Griebenow told Reuters.
The accused were among 61 South Africans deported from Zimbabwe in May 2005 after serving out 12-month sentences there on immigration and weapons charges.
In November 2004, Equatorial Guinea separately sentenced 11 foreign nationals to between 14 and 34 years on charges of trying to stage a coup against President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.
Zimbabwe prosecutors linked those charges to a planeload of suspected mercenaries travelling on South African passports who were arrested after their plane was impounded in Harare.
The alleged coup plan also dragged in the son of Britain's former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Mark Thatcher, who pleaded guilty in South Africa to a financing role in the plot and paid a fine while receiving a suspended sentence.
The incident embarrassed South Africa's government, which has repeatedly vowed to get tough on former apartheid soldiers who have gained a reputation as guns for hire in wars from West Africa to Papua New Guinea.
South Africa last year moved to tighten its anti-mercenary laws, proposing legislation to clamp down on civilians and former soldiers fighting or offering security in armed conflicts and to stamp out attempts to overthrow other African states.
The proposed law, currently before Parliament, could also have implications for thousands of South Africans believed to be working in security jobs in Iraq, lured by enticing salaries. - Reuters
Johannesburg, South Africa
27 July 2006 12:09
The South African trial of nine men charged in an alleged plot to topple the president of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea has been delayed until next year, the men's lawyer said on Thursday.
Alwyn Griebenow said the trial, seen as a test of South Africa's anti-mercenary laws, had been postponed from next week due to scheduling conflicts with lawyers.
"The trial will only commence on the 5th of February next year," Griebenow told Reuters.
The accused were among 61 South Africans deported from Zimbabwe in May 2005 after serving out 12-month sentences there on immigration and weapons charges.
In November 2004, Equatorial Guinea separately sentenced 11 foreign nationals to between 14 and 34 years on charges of trying to stage a coup against President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.
Zimbabwe prosecutors linked those charges to a planeload of suspected mercenaries travelling on South African passports who were arrested after their plane was impounded in Harare.
The alleged coup plan also dragged in the son of Britain's former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Mark Thatcher, who pleaded guilty in South Africa to a financing role in the plot and paid a fine while receiving a suspended sentence.
The incident embarrassed South Africa's government, which has repeatedly vowed to get tough on former apartheid soldiers who have gained a reputation as guns for hire in wars from West Africa to Papua New Guinea.
South Africa last year moved to tighten its anti-mercenary laws, proposing legislation to clamp down on civilians and former soldiers fighting or offering security in armed conflicts and to stamp out attempts to overthrow other African states.
The proposed law, currently before Parliament, could also have implications for thousands of South Africans believed to be working in security jobs in Iraq, lured by enticing salaries. - Reuters
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This is nothing more than a cover-up by both the SA and Zim governments. Zim found it prudent to prosecute these blokes at a time when their own international credibility had hit rockbottom, and now SA choose to continue the harrassment whilst questions are being asked worldwide regarding the security within the country leading up to the Soccer World Cup.
Pack your bags and get the hell out of that sh!t-hole guys.
Pack your bags and get the hell out of that sh!t-hole guys.
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The US Military & UK Goverment acknowledge that they knew silently
The US Military acknowledge that they knew silently
Approved of the EG coup:
Links between Pentagon and plotters confirmed
Links have been discovered between a senior U.S. defence official and the British businessman, Greg Wales, who has been implicated in the coup attempt
Ms. Theresa Whelan, a member of the Bush administration in charge of African affairs at the Pentagon. Said “Contractors are here to stay in supporting U.S. national security objectives overseas”. They were cheaper and saved the use of U.S. forces in peacekeeping and training. She added “The U.S. can be supportive in trying to ameliorate regional crises without necessarily having to put U.S. troops on the ground, which is often a very difficult political decision..........Sometimes we may not want to be very visible”.
Ms Whelan merely confirmed the practice pursued by successive U.S. governments over many years. They secretly support or approve of private armies and mercenaries in many parts of the world, who serve their interests and disclaim all knowledge and responsibility for their actions when accusing fingers are pointed at them. Whatever the truth behind the bungled plot against the Equatorial Guinea government, U.S. military circles where sympathetic to the coup attempt. One of the officials present at the IPOA dinner said “Ethically you have to want to see Obiang removed............................... It’s a real indictment of the international community that they’ve failed to get rid of Obiang”
Approved of the EG coup:
Links between Pentagon and plotters confirmed
Links have been discovered between a senior U.S. defence official and the British businessman, Greg Wales, who has been implicated in the coup attempt
Ms. Theresa Whelan, a member of the Bush administration in charge of African affairs at the Pentagon. Said “Contractors are here to stay in supporting U.S. national security objectives overseas”. They were cheaper and saved the use of U.S. forces in peacekeeping and training. She added “The U.S. can be supportive in trying to ameliorate regional crises without necessarily having to put U.S. troops on the ground, which is often a very difficult political decision..........Sometimes we may not want to be very visible”.
Ms Whelan merely confirmed the practice pursued by successive U.S. governments over many years. They secretly support or approve of private armies and mercenaries in many parts of the world, who serve their interests and disclaim all knowledge and responsibility for their actions when accusing fingers are pointed at them. Whatever the truth behind the bungled plot against the Equatorial Guinea government, U.S. military circles where sympathetic to the coup attempt. One of the officials present at the IPOA dinner said “Ethically you have to want to see Obiang removed............................... It’s a real indictment of the international community that they’ve failed to get rid of Obiang”