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South africa says no extradition request for thatcher Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=6087991 http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=6087991 S.Africa Says No Extradition Request for Thatcher Fri Aug 27, 2004 06:36 AM ET By Gordon Bell CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa has had no contact with Equatorial Guinea on the possible extradition of Mark Thatcher, suspected of involvement in a coup bid in the oil-rich country, officials said on Friday. "There has not been any official request from the government of Equatorial Guinea for the extradition," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said. Asked if there had been any informal contact between the two governments, Mamoepa replied: "There has been nothing." The 51-year-old son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was arrested at his Cape Town home on Wednesday and released on 2 million rand ($300,000) bail. Thatcher, who faces charges of violating South Africa's strict anti-mercenary laws, has been ordered to stay in the Cape Town area until a November court appearance. He has said he is innocent of all charges. Equatorial Guinea has put 14 suspected foreign mercenaries on trial for plotting a coup in the country, sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil producer. Prosecutors have demanded the death penalty for one of them, South African Nick du Toit. A lawyer advising Equatorial Guinea's government told Reuters in Malabo the government was simply seeking more information about the case. "Equatorial Guinea is not accusing Mark Thatcher of anything at this stage in a judicial sense," Lucie Bourthoumieux said late on Thursday. "What it wants, now that Mark Thatcher has been arrested and Nick du Toit has spoken about him (in court) is to know more, to know exactly what role he did or did not play in planning or financing the attempted coup." Bourthoumieux had earlier said there was "first contact" over a possible extradition, but said whether it went ahead with a formal judicial request would depend on the result of South African police investigations. Margaret Thatcher arrived back in London on Friday after breaking off her American holiday following her son's arrest. After arriving on a scheduled flight, she was escorted to a waiting limousine, making no statement to reporters. A family spokesman said she was "distressed" but confident about South Africa's legal process. "She's sure that he'll be cleared and named innocent at the end of it," said Lord Bell. South Africa abolished the death penalty with the end of apartheid in 1994 and has said it would not extradite any suspect to a country where they could face execution. A total of 84 foreigners, mostly South Africans, are on trial in Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea on charges of involvement in an attempted coup. (Additional reporting by Estelle Shirbon in Malabo)

British establishment and businessmen plot african coup { August 26 2004 } Equatorial guinea coup trial grossly unfair { November 30 2004 } Guinea coup mercenaries and connections { August 26 2004 } Guinea dictator getting all oil money { August 26 2004 } Margaret mark thatcher [jpg] Margaret thatcher son arrested on Guinea coup plot Mark thatcher admits coup plot charge Mark thatcher in splot light { August 25 2004 } Mark thatcher sentenced in coup plot { January 14 2005 } Pentagon link to guinea coup plot { September 27 2004 } South africa says no extradition request for thatcher South african mercenaries in iraq and Guinea coup { February 12 2005 } Thatcher son arrested over alleged coup plot Thatchers son held in failed african coup { August 26 2004 } Files Listed: 14

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