NEW details of Thatcher coup plot: London Evening Standard

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The tangled web emerges about "Scratcher's" Xmas party chums' donations to finance coup - a MUST READ:

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By Keith Dovkants, Evening Standard
26 August 2004

An Evening Standard investigation into the Mark Thatcher affair reveals how a network of friends and social contacts were asked to invest money in the attempted coup. Some were never told the real story; others knew the details - and they were among Thatcher's Christmas guests. The key figure was Thatcher's close friend Simon Mann, who drove to the party from his home in Hout Bay with his wife, Amanda. Mann is the charismatic Old Etonian, former SAS officer who was arrested in March with a band of mercenaries in Zimbabwe and accused of masterminding the plan to depose the president of Equatorial Guinea by force.

Our investigation reveals that Mann, 51, sought money to finance the coup from individuals in his influential social and business circle. Leaked legal documents show a payment of $134,980 (£74,000) was made to Mann's company, by a "J.H. Archer", four days before Mann was seized. The initials are those of Lord Archer, the disgraced Conservative peer and bestselling author who is an old friend of Baroness Thatcher. His friendship with Eli Calil, a London-based businessman who has been accused of being involved in the coup attempt, goes back even further - more than 30 years.

Soon after Mark Thatcher's arrest yesterday, Lord Archer's lawyers sought to quell speculation that the peer might have been involved in bankrolling the mercenary operation and said in a statement that he had "no prior knowledge". His lawyers also denied he had issued a cheque for the amount shown on the bank statement from Mann's company. When it was pointed out the sum was paid by credit transfer, his legal spokesman said Lord Archer "considers the matter closed". One person who admits being approached by Mann was Gianfranco Cicogna, a South Africabased telecoms tycoon. Mr Cicogna, who was once engaged to television presenter Tania Bryer, is a friend of socialite diarist Taki Theodoracopulous. He has a home in Chelsea and is well known in London society. Mr Cicogna disclosed that he was approached by Mann this year: "I did not really appreciate the grandeur of their ideas," he said. Asked if he knew there was a plan to stage a coup he said: "Not really. I don't think it crossed my mind."

He said he discussed investing $200,000 (£112,000) in a "project" in Equatorial Guinea, but never handed over any money: "What return that would have brought, I have no idea," he said. "We were going to meet again. Nothing of this was finalised." He said he last saw Mann about a week before he was arrested in Zimbabwe. He first knew of the drama from newspaper reports. Among those who chatted to Baroness Thatcher at the Christmas party in Cape Town was London-based entrepreneur Greg Wales, a friend of both Mark Thatcher and Mann. Mr Wales, 54, who owns a large house in Richmond- Upon-Thames, revealed that Mann and Thatcher were discussing a secret business project last year: "It was their business, not mine," he said. He agreed he had talked about possible investments in Equatorial Guinea, but denied he had any knowledge of a coup attempt.

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http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/12810227?source=Evening%20Standard