2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt assault rifles, 150 hand grenades, 10 rocket-propelled grenade launchers (and 100 RPG shells), and 75,000 rounds of ammunition. Mann said he wanted the rifles, mortars and ammunition to guard diamond mines in volatile parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was alleged that those arrested in Zimbabwe made a stopover in Harare city to buy weapons and expected to join a team in Equatorial Guinea to overthrow President Obiang. Nick du Toit, the leader of the group of arrested in Equatorial Guinea, said at his trial in Equatorial Guinea that he was recruited by Simon Mann and that he
Equatorial Guinea–Spain relations relations with Equatorial Guinea due to repression by President Nguema and his verbal attacks against the Spanish government. By 1978, Spain was prepared to send troops to the nation to intervene and evacuate its citizens if they were particularly targeted by President Nguema. In August 1979, a coup d'état was led by Lieutenant Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the nephew of President Nguema. That same month, Lieutenant Obiang formerly asked the Spanish government for military assistant, however, it was refused. That same month, President Nguema was captured by opposition forces and executed. Lieutenant Obiang became the second President of Equatorial Guinea.