Q&A: the Equatorial Guinea 'coup'

The arrest of Sir Mark Thatcher this morning has again cast attention on the murky background to an alleged coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea. Matthew Tempest looks at what's known about the affair

What happened in Equatorial Guinea?
In the event, not much - the alleged participants of the attempted coup against the country's president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema M'basogo, were detained at Harare airport in Zimbabwe in March.

Sixty-four men were arrested on board a plane apparently en route to Equatorial Guinea, although they were unarmed. Two days later a further 15 men were arrested, allegedly an advanced party and believed to be led by a South African man called Nick du Toit. Two separate trials of the men are taking place, one in Zimbabwe and one in Equatorial Guinea. One of the suspects, a German man, died in prison in Equatorial Guinea after what Amnesty International described as suspected torture.

Why would there be a coup?
The underlying motive is most likely connected to the discovery of oil in the formerly impoverished state. Production has increased tenfold since the mid-1990s, making Equatorial Guinea the third largest oil power in sub-Saharan Africa.

Before that the tiny west African state, consisting of a few islands and a patch of mainland between Gabon and Cameroon, had been a Spanish colony, gaining independence in 1968. Since then it has been the subject of a number of coup attempts, not least against the current leader, President Obiang, who dubs himself as "God".

Despite the oil boom, most of Equatorial Guinea's 500,000 inhabitants live in abject poverty.

Who is President Obiang?
He took power in a bloody coup in 1979, killing his own uncle to take the presidency. Born in 1942, he received military training in Spain.

In July this year, one of President Obiang's aides took to the airwaves on state-run radio to declare that the president was to be regarded as the country's "God".

The Foreign Office described the country's human rights record as "poor", adding: "The use of torture, arbitrary detention and restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly has been widespread and systematic."

In 2002, President Obiang's Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) apparently attempted to restrict political opposition ahead of the presidential elections.

About 140 people, including opposition party leaders, were rounded up and tried in connection with an alleged coup attempt. Many were thought to have been tortured and international observers condemned the trial.

President Obiang's officials said he won almost 100% of the vote in the election.

What happened in March?
After the seizures of the two groups of men, Mr du Toit told a court in Equatorial Guinea that he had been recruited by Simon Mann, an old Etonian and founder of mercenary firm Executive Outcomes. Mr du Toit said he had been helping with recruitment, acquiring weapons and logistics in an attempt to install the exiled opposition leader, Severo Moto, as president.

Who is Simon Mann?
As well as being an old Etonian, he is a former member of the SAS, head of a firm of mercenaries, and a neighbour of Sir Mark Thatcher in the exclusive Cape Town suburb of Constantia. The 51-year old is now on trial.

In a letter from prison on March 31, Mr Mann told his wife, Amanda, and his legal team: "Our situation is not good and it is very URGENT. They [the lawyers] get no reply from Smelly and Scratcher [who] asked them to ring back after the Grand Prix race was over!


"Scratcher" is thought to be Sir Mark and "Smelly" Ely Calil, the Chelsea-based oil billionaire accused by Equatorial Guinea of helping to organise the coup. Mr Calil has denied any involvement. David Hart was Mrs Thatcher's unofficial adviser during the miners' strike and served as special adviser to Michael Portillo and Malcolm Rifkind in subsequent Tory administrations.

Another name now linked to the case is Lady Thatcher's former spin doctor, Tim Bell, who is now "advising" Mr Mann's friends. Lord Bell has said that as far as he was aware neither Sir Mark nor Mr Hart were involved in the alleged coup.

What happens next?
Sir Mark is due at a magistrates court in Cape Town later today.

But the repercussions could go much wider than just the son of the former British prime minister - President Obiang has alleged that an unnamed former British cabinet minister was involved in the plot.

Of some relevance is whether the government of Equatorial Guinea will now attempt to extradite Sir Mark.