In 2004, the government of Equatorial Guinea accused which popular English author of being one of the financiers of a failed 2004 coup d'état attempt against it?
"also included former members of the South African Army 32 Battalion. Financial backers included Sir Mark Thatcher, son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and possibly the British novelist Jeffrey Archer. Somewhere between $3 million and $20 million was expended on the failed coup, which is said to have had the tacit support of some Western governments and international corporations. In 2011 the government announced it was planning a new capital for the country, named Oyala. History of Equatorial Guinea The History of Equatorial Guinea is marked by centuries of colonial domination by the Portuguese, British and Spanish empires,"
"Truth fund. In 2004, the government of Equatorial Guinea alleged that Archer was one of the financiers of the failed 2004 coup d'état attempt against it, citing bank details and telephone records as evidence. In 2009, Archer said: ""I am completely relaxed about it. Mr Mann [Simon Mann, the English mercenary leader of the coup] has made clear that it's nothing to do with me."" In 2011, Mann, imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea for his role in leading the failed 2004 coup d'état but released on humanitarian grounds later, told ""The Daily Telegraph"" that his forthcoming book, ""Cry Havoc"", would reveal"
"2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt The 2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt, also known as the Wonga coup, failed to replace President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo with exiled opposition politician Severo Moto. Mercenaries organised by mainly British financiers were arrested in Zimbabwe on 7 March 2004 before they could carry out the plot. Prosecutors alleged that Moto was to be installed as the new president in return for preferential oil rights to corporations affiliated to those involved with the coup. The incident received international media attention after the reported involvement of Sir Mark Thatcher in funding the coup, for"
"attempted coup"". However the Spanish foreign minister, Ana Palacio seemed to contradict the spokeswoman's statement; ""They weren't on a mission of war, but one of cooperation."" 2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt The 2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt, also known as the Wonga coup, failed to replace President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo with exiled opposition politician Severo Moto. Mercenaries organised by mainly British financiers were arrested in Zimbabwe on 7 March 2004 before they could carry out the plot. Prosecutors alleged that Moto was to be installed as the new president in return for preferential oil rights to corporations"
"said it was to cover the cost of an air ambulance project. Steyl dismissed this explanation. ""He knew what was going on,"" he said. ""I only knew him in the context of the Equatorial Guinea business. I didn't know him before and I haven't met him since."" On 13 October 2004 in London, a lawyer for the Equatorial Guinea government said that telephone records showed four calls between the homes of one of the alleged financiers behind the plot, Ely Calil, and Lord Archer in the run-up to the coup attempt in March. Another alleged plotter, Greg Wales, also made"
"before the coup attempt. Mr Wales has been accused of being one of its organisers, but has denied any involvement. A US defence official told Newsweek magazine: Mr Wales mentioned in passing [...] there might be some trouble brewing in Equatorial Guinea. Specifically, he had heard from some business associates of his that wealthy citizens of the country were planning to flee in case of a crisis. Britain was given a full outline of the coup plot, including the dates, details of arms shipments and key players, months before the coup was launched. Until 9 November 2004, cabinet ministers had"
"4 in the UK won a legal battle to broadcast an interview with Mann in which he named British political figures, including Ministers, alleged to have given tacit approval to the coup plot. In testimony he spoke frankly about the events leading to the botched attempt to topple Equatorial Guinea's president. Despite their charges being unrelated, Mann was tried alongside six Progress Party of Equatorial Guinea activists being held on weapons charges, including opposition leader Severo Moto's former secretary Gerardo Angüe Mangue. On 7 July 2008, Mann was sentenced by an Equatoguinean court to more than 34 years in jail."
"his most successful book in the English language. In November 2010 the English translation of ""Le Roi de Kahel"" (""The King of Kahel"") was published by AmazonCrossing, Amazon.com's translated fiction publishing arm; it was the new publishing company's first translated and published book. He was strongly critical of the military coup d'état of 23 December 2008, in Guinea having brought to power the junta led by captain Moussa Dadis Camara, just after the death of president Lansana Conté, who led the country with an iron fist since 1984. Remaining relatively quiet in 2009, on both a political and literary level,"
"to the coup attempt. A lawyer for the Equatorial Guinea government said in London that telephone records showed four calls between Ely Calil and Lord Archer in the run-up to the coup attempt in March. Prosecutors said Equatorial Guinea's opposition leader, Severo Moto, based in Spain, offered the group $1.8m and oil rights to overthrow the government. Timothy Bell, Lady Thatcher's former spin doctor, is linked to the case by ""advising"" Mr Mann's friends. Baron Bell has said that as far as he was aware neither Sir Mark nor Mr Hart were involved in the alleged coup. President Obiang accused"
"disaster when Zimbabwean authorities discovered the plane being used to ferry men and equipment into Equatorial Guinea. The coup attempt gained international notoriety soon afterwards when it was claimed that Sir Mark Thatcher, son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was involved in funding the coup. Nick du Toit was arrested in Equatorial Guinea along with 14 other men. Accused of leading this group, du Toit was eventually found guilty of treason and sentenced to 34 years in the infamous Black Beach prison. He was given a presidential pardon by President Obiang in 2009, having served five years and"
"in advance of the plans for the takeover attempt and failed to accomplish the duty under international law of alerting the country's government. The involvement of British oil companies in the funding of the coup d'état, and the changing of British citizens evacuation plans for Equatorial Guinea before the attempt, posed serious challenges for the alleged ignorance of the situation. Later on, British officials and Straw were forced to apologise to ""The Observer"" after categorically denying they had prior knowledge of the coup plot. In the run up to the 2005 general election, Straw faced a potential backlash from his"
"the US of backing the plot, but the Pentagon denies supporting it. US officials say it was Greg Wales who made all the approaches to them. Greg Wales, a London-based property dealer, is alleged to have raised $500,000. Equatorial Guinea official sources claim that in November 2003 , when the plot was in its early stages, an Old Etonian mercenary, Simon Mann, paid Mr Wales about $8,000. Mr Wales denies any involvement in the coup. Theresa Whelan, a member of the Bush administration in charge of African affairs at the Pentagon, twice met a London-based businessman, Greg Wales, in Washington"
"denied any prior knowledge of the attempted illegal coup. Jack Straw and minister for Africa Chris Mullin were however personally told of the plot on Friday 30 January. After receiving news of the coup, Jack Straw ordered a change to evacuation plans for British citizens in Equatorial Guinea. President Obiang commented on the lack of warning despite admissions of prior knowledge: This is particularly surprising in view of the fact that a number of British citizens and residents of the UK appear to be central to the conspiracy to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea. Jack Straw had told parliament"
"for ample time to plan, mobile, equip and deploy the force."" Smith, who claims he has received death threats since the plot was thwarted, said there was no response from British or US authorities to his warnings: The only thing that happened was that the US authorities froze the Equatorial Guinea money with the Riggs Bank in USA. On 25 August 2004, Mark Thatcher, the son of the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher, was arrested under anti-mercenary laws in South Africa after being accused of helping to finance the coup to remove President Obiang. Crause Steyl"
"that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office did investigate if there were any British companies involved in the plot after receiving confidential reports, but failed to find any evidence. British officials, and Jack Straw, were forced to apologise to ""The Observer"" after categorically denying they had prior knowledge of the coup plot. President Obiang accused the Spanish government of supporting the plot. The allegation could explain the coincidental position of two Spanish warships off the coast of Equatorial Guinea, at the time of the arrests of the alleged plotters. Miguel Mifuno, special adviser to Equatorial Guinea's president, accused the Spanish government"
"Obiang Mangue, and other close relatives with powerful positions in the security forces. The tension may be rooted in a power shift arising from the dramatic increase in oil production which has occurred since 1997. In 2004 a plane load of suspected mercenaries was intercepted in Zimbabwe while allegedly on the way to overthrow Obiang. A November 2004 report named Mark Thatcher as a financial backer of the 2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt organized by Simon Mann. Various accounts also named the United Kingdom's MI6, the United States' CIA, and Spain as tacit supporters of the coup attempt. Nevertheless,"
"Simon Mann Simon Francis Mann (born 26 June 1952) is a former British Army officer and mercenary. He served part of a 34-year prison sentence in Equatorial Guinea for his role in a failed coup d'état in 2004, before receiving a presidential pardon on humanitarian grounds on 2 November 2009. Mann was extradited from Zimbabwe to Equatorial Guinea on 1 February 2008, having been accused of planning a ""coup d'état"" to overthrow the government by leading a mercenary force into the capital Malabo in an effort to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. Charges in South Africa of aiding a"
"in Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa, in August 2004 and was charged with contravening two sections of South Africa's Foreign Military Assistance Act, which bans South African residents from taking part in any foreign military activity. The charges related to possible funding and logistical assistance in relation to an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea organized by Thatcher's friend, Simon Mann. He was released on 2 million rand bail. On 24 November 2004, the Cape Town High Court upheld a subpoena from the South African Justice Ministry that required him to answer under oath questions from Equatorial Guinean authorities regarding the"
"also name the UK's MI6, the US Central Intelligence Agency, and Spain as having been tacit supporters of the coup attempt. Nevertheless, an Amnesty International report on the ensuing trial highlights the government's failure to demonstrate in court that the alleged coup attempt had ever actually taken place. The 1982 constitution of Equatorial Guinea gives the President extensive powers, including naming and dismissing members of the cabinet, making laws by decree, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives, negotiating and ratifying treaties and calling legislative elections. The President retains his role as commander in chief of the armed forces and minister of"
"Returning home as an opposition leader, Moto was imprisoned at Malabo's reviled Black Beach prison, but later released and allowed to go back into exile. He claims to have won several elections in Equatorial Guinea. He was reportedly on good terms with José María Aznar, who was Prime Minister of Spain from 1996 to 2004. Due to this and his position as the main contender to become president after a coup, he was accused by Equatorial Guinea of being the instigator of the March 2004 attempt led by Simon Mann and Nick du Toit, and tried in absentia. He disappeared"
"On 2 November 2009 he was given ""a complete pardon on humanitarian grounds"" by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema. He was back in England by 6 November. He lives in the New Forest. Mann's memoir, ""Cry Havoc"", was published in 2011, to mixed reviews. Simon Mann Simon Francis Mann (born 26 June 1952) is a former British Army officer and mercenary. He served part of a 34-year prison sentence in Equatorial Guinea for his role in a failed coup d'état in 2004, before receiving a presidential pardon on humanitarian grounds on 2 November 2009. Mann was extradited from Zimbabwe to Equatorial"
"Fabián Nsue Fabián Nsue Nguema is the most prominent human-rights lawyer in Equatorial Guinea which, under Teodoro Obiang, has been referred to as one of the most repressive regimes in Africa. He is a member of Equatorial Guinea's only legal opposition party, Unión Popular (UP), which frequently denounces human rights violations, and of which he has served as secretary-general. He has defended a number of political prisoners in trials. Nsue has provided legal assistance in a number of high-profile cases. Nsue represented a group of persons who were allegedly involved in an attempted coup in March 2004. “There was no"
"year of Equatorial Guinea's independence, no important works were published; however, some authors continued to edit stories, legends, and ethnographies in various journals: Marcelo Asistencia Ndongo Mba, Constantino Ochaá, Ángel Nguema, Rafael María Nzé, and Francisco Obiang. In contrast to other African literary traditions, no anticolonial works or works about combat appeared, and poetry did not attain great importance. Also, the authors of the time period attempted to reach the audience of the colonial power, not the local audience. These small shoots of a literary tradition were uprooted when, only months after being democratically elected, Francisco Macías Nguema installed a"
"rejected this explanation and Thatcher was fined R3,000,000 and received a four-year suspended jail sentence. An advisor to Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that: ""We are confident that justice has been done"", and did not indicate that the country would seek Thatcher's extradition. During his trial in Equatorial Guinea in June 2008 Simon Mann said that Thatcher ""was not just an investor, he came completely on board and became a part of the management team"" of the coup plot. Thatcher is entitled the usage of the pre-nominal style ""The Honourable"" following"
"Between 1979 - 1983, Spain sent Equatorial Guinea 15 million Spanish pesetas for the development of the nation. Relations between both nations almost severed due to debt renegotiation in 1983 and the fact that Equatorial Guinea owed Spain over 6 million Spanish pesetas. Agreements were made before more drastic measures were taken. During the 2004 coup d'état attempt, President Obiang accused Spain of knowing about the coup attempt and for sending two Spanish warships to the region, however, Spanish President José María Aznar denied the allegations that the ships were there to assist in the coup. Presidential visits from Equatorial"
"hand, blood in his mouth, and a bullet in his chest"". While researching the story of ""The Dogs of War"", Frederick Forsyth pretended to be preparing a ""coup d'état"" against Equatorial Guinea on behalf of the Igbo people whom he passionately supports; he was told it would cost 240,000 US dollars. Five years after the 1973 attempted ""coup d'état"", Forsyth's research was subject of a feature story in the London ""Times"", in 1978, that posited he had commissioned the operation in earnest; many people believed he was planning a real ""coup d'état"" in Equatorial Guinea. Later, Forsyth said that arms"
"alleged financiers in the hands of the South African police. Ely Calil, the Chelsea-based Lebanese oil billionaire who is being sued in London by the Equatorial Guinea regime, is alleged to have raised another $750,000. Mr Calil's solicitor said that he did not wish to respond to the claim that he had raised money for the plotters. But he denied any knowledge of the plot. David Tremain, a South Africa-based British businessman, is alleged to have raised $500,000. Mr Tremain is alleged to have been ""fronting"" for a syndicate of South African and other minor investors. Tremain denies any involvement"
"was overthrown in a 1979 coup d'état. Black Beach holds a number of foreign prisoners sentenced for participating in a 2004 coup d'état attempt against the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. These included Simon Mann, the alleged ringleader, until his presidential pardon on 2 November 2009 on humanitarian grounds, and more recently Ramón Esono Ebalé (released in March 2018). Black Beach Black Beach (), located on the island of Bioko, in the capital city of Malabo in Equatorial Guinea, is one of Africa's most notorious prisons. It has a reputation for systematically neglecting and brutalising inmates. Medical"
"president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang, following a complaint filed in December 2008 by the Asociacion pro derechos humanos de España (APDHE). The association was concerned by a transfer of roughly €19 million between 2000 and 2003 from the US bank Riggs Bank to an account in a Spanish bank in the Balearic Islands. Laws put into effect after the liberation of France in the Second World War targeted illegitimate profits accrued during German occupation, in the black market or through simple theft. The ordinances of October 18, 1944 and January 6, 1945 drew inspiration from the following principle: ""The"
"dictator of Equatorial Guinea, from the account held by the Embassy of Equatorial Guinea in Washington, D.C. at Riggs. Simon P. Kareri, the Riggs employee in charge of the Equatorial Guinea and other accounts, was accused of money-laundering in separate charges. As the account manager, he allegedly established a fake holding company in his wife's name, and diverted funds into this account. In a hearing by the United States Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Kareri, under advisement from legal counsel, refused to answer any questions of the panel by invoking his rights under the Fifth Amendment to the"
"five calls to Sir Mark Thatcher in the days after the failed coup. On 13 January 2005, Mark Thatcher, in a South African court, pleaded guilty to helping finance a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea. South African police were able to prove that Mr Thatcher had transferred about US$285,000 to the mercenaries that were to execute the operation and had met and talked frequently to them prior to the coup attempt. After pleading guilty, he was given a four-year suspended sentence and a fine of about US$560,000. Simon Mann paid $500,000 (£281,000) towards the plot, according to a list of"
"1970, leaving behind two sons, him [Ely] and Bernard, and was said to have bequeathed £20 million to Ely. In 2002, Calil was arrested in Paris in connection with the Elf Aquitaine scandal but was released on appeal. In 2004 Calil was alleged to be part in the failed coup d'état in Equatorial Guinea and is currently sought by courts both in Equatorial Guinea and South Africa. In September 2004, he was sued by the Equatorial Guinean government for allegedly having raised $750 000 to finance the plot. He married his first wife, a Tennessee tobacco heiress named Frances Condon,"
"María Nsué Angüe María Nsué Angüe (Ebebiyín (Río Muni), Spanish Guinea, 1945 - Malabo, January 18, 2017) was a noted Equatorial Guinean writer and Minister of Education and Culture. Born to ethnic Fang parents, she emigrated with her family to Spain when she was only eight years old. In Spain she studied literature and discovered her passion for writing. She returned to Equatorial Guinea and worked for the country's Ministry of Culture and Education. In years following, she decided to leave Africa to permanently move to Madrid, Spain. Her 1985 novel, and most acclaimed work, ""Ekomo"" was the first novel"