Ex-SAS man faces death over `coup'
 

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FACING EXECUTION: Captain Simon Mann, shown here playing a role in an ITV dramatisation of Bloody Sunday is locked up in Harare


A FORMER SAS officer from Hampshire faces execution after being accused of plotting a coup in an oil-rich African state.

Simon Mann, who is reported to have a home in the New Forest, is locked up in a notorious prison outside the Zimbabwean capital Harare, where conditions are said to be among the worst in the continent.

Opponents say Capt Mann was the leader of 60 mercenaries prepared to kill for money and topple the government of Equatorial Guinea, which is supported by South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe's foreign minister Stan Mudenge has threatened Capt Mann and the rest of the men with "the severest punishment available in our statutes, including capital punishment."

Capt Mann was reported to own a mansion on the banks of the Beaulieu River, but is currently based near Cape Town, South Africa.

The "dog of war" has a most colourful past - he entered the services by joining the Scots Guards, once commanded a 30-strong team of underwater specialists, and did one tour of duty in Northern Ireland before leaving the army in the late 1980s.

But the Old Etonian rejoined the services in 1990 to serve on the British Gulf War commander's staff in Riyadh as an intelligence officer before leaving the army to work as a computer salesman.

But, according to one national paper, in 1994 he helped set up Sandline International, a private company whose involvement in shipping arms to Sierra Leone in contravention of a UN embargo brought heavy criticism from the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Date Published: Monday 15 March 2004
http://www.thisisbournemouth.co.uk/d...EWS_NEWS9.html

I've been watching all of this with a keen interest, had it gone off without a hitch, Equatorial Guinea would have been the Oman of Africa but I have to wonder how these guys fucked it up as bad as they did.

They bought the plane they used from a broker in the U.S. two weeks ago and it still had the markings of the U.S.A.N.G. on the side which would stick out as much on a runway in Zimbabwe as Osama bin Laden going out for a jog on the Washington D.C. mall, and the plane still had its U.S. FAA N number (N4610)

It seems that everyone knew that this was going on except the planners, both the South African & Zimbabwean intelligence were aware of this operation and there is a rumor floating around that Simon Mann might have been paid to get caught by Mugabe, who wanted this all for propaganda.

Its been a week, I can't wait to hear the whole story on this!

Aaaaah ex- SAS their always upto something when they leave 22!!


One on the highest suicide rates in the forces too the SAS have!!

I havent folowed news for about 6 motnhs
but last i heard Zimbabwe itself was all fucked up
in which case their support of the Gov of Equatorial Guinea don't mean shit

intersting story , will be following this one :thumbsup

That guy sounds like he's had a wickedly exciting life... I hope he makes it out in one piece.