Plane seized in Zimbabwe w/possible MERC's

[shrek]

Anybody find anything more about this. I knew we were operating in Africa write now with some SF teams. Wonder how or if this might be connected? From the story it does stink a little!!

[rafaelcb]

They were heading to Guinea Ecuatorial to support an attempt of uprising. There have been rumours for months, so strog that the Spanish Armada sent some frigates to the zone a few weeks ago 'just in case' (see http://www.revistanaval.com/contidos.php?ID=canarias_patinho)
http://www.revistanaval.com/imaxes/canarias_patinho_04.jpg
Original news in Spanish:
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IBAN EN UN AVIÓN QUE PARÓ EN HARARE
Los mercenarios detenidos en Zimbabwe iban a apoyar un golpe de Estado en Guinea Ecuatorial

EUROPA PRESS

MADRID.- El avión de matrícula estadounidense que fue interceptado en el aeropuerto de Harare procedente de Sudáfrica, con 64 mercenarios y equipamiento militar a bordo, tenía como destino Guinea Ecuatorial, según informó Radio France. Allí, sus ocupantes iban a apoyar un golpe de Estado.

Fuentes de la oposición guineana afirmaron bajo anonimato que el presidente del autoconstituido Gobierno de Guinea Ecuatorial en el exilio y del Partido del Progreso (PP), Severo Moto, se encuentra "desde hace algunos días en Sudáfrica".

Fuentes de los servicios de inteligencia sudafricanos afirmaron que el avión se dirigía hacia Africa occidental, más concretamente hacia Guinea Ecuatorial, para ayudar en un posible golpe de Estado, pero problemas técnicos obligaron al aparato a aterrizar en Harare.

El secretario general de la principal formación opositora, Convergencia para la Democracia Social (CPDS), Plácido Micó, se encuentra retenido en el aeropuerto de Malabo. El Gobierno guineano ha prohibido la salida del país de todos los dirigentes de los partidos, según la Asociación para la Solidaridad Democrática con Guinea Ecuatorial (ASODEGUE).
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[Shake n Bake]

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20040308/i/r4197770409.jpg

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20040308/i/r1096284690.jpg

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20040309/capt.hre10103090835.zimbabwe_plane_hre101.jpg

No weapons were found....But they did find bolt cutters, a sledge hammer and a inflatable dinghy... :cantbeli:

[StealthMode]

rafaelcb said:

MADRID.- the airplane of American matriculation that was intercepted in the airport of Harare coming from South Africa, with 64 mercenarios and military equipment on board, had as Equatorial Guinea destiny, according to informed France Radio. There, their occupants were going to support a coup d'etat.

Sources of the guineana opposition affirmed under anonymity that the president of autoconstituido Government of Equatorial Guinea in exile and of Party of Progreso (PP), Severe Moto, has been being "for some days in South Africa".

Sources of the South African intelligence services affirmed that the airplane went towards western Africa, more concretely towards Equatorial Guinea, to help in a possible coup d'etat, but technical problems forced the apparatus to land in Harare.

The Secretary General of the main competing formation, Convergence for Democracia Social (CPDS), Placid Micó, is retained in the airport of Malabo. The guineano Government has prohibited the exit of country of all the leaders of the parties, according to the Association for Democratic Solidarity with Equatorial Guinea (ASODEGUE).

[HELEX]

They were sent there by the US-Goverment:


The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/print/ek.html

Halliburton will get a new Contract soon :roll:

[UkrainianAmerican]

They were sent there by the US-Goverment:


The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/print/ek.html

Halliburton will get a new Contract soon :roll:
Better be true, cuz i bought 500 shares of their stock a week ago.

[usa320]

Im thinking of investing in em too.

Anyway, yall are a bunch of nervous folks.

If you ask me they are either miners or hikers. The equipment found on board included bolt cutters, axes, tools, tents, ropes, backpacks, jackets, mace...ect... But not one fire arm. I dont think anyone will be causing an uprising without a single gun.

[fred_engles]

If you ask me they are either miners or hikers. The equipment found on board included bolt cutters, axes, tools, tents, ropes, backpacks, jackets, mace...ect... But not one fire arm. I dont think anyone will be causing an uprising without a single gun.Guns are cheap and plentiful on the ground, unlike, say, american-quality camping equipment. Also, guns might have been forbidden by their charter company or the pilot they hired.

[rafaelcb]

HALTING OF 67 MERCENARIOS IN HARARE
Zimbabue accuses the espionage of Spain, United Kingdom and the U.S.A. to encourage a blow in Guinea

HARARE . - The minister of the zimbabuense Interior, Kembo Mohadi, has accused the secret services of United Kingdom, the U.S.A. and Spain to be implied in the attempt of coup d'etat in Equatorial Guinea, in which they participated mercenarios arrested in Harare .

The authorities of Zimbabue the past seized Sunday of a transport airplane registered in the U.S.A. that, apparently, transported "mercenarios and fighting equipment", and that left illegally from South Africa and went to Guinea with intention to give a coup d'etat.

"By a principle question, never we commented subjects in which he implies himself to the secret services", an official spokesman of the ministry of Exteriors said. On the other hand, minister Ana Palace , has given instructions to the Ambassador of Spain in Harare, Javier Sandomingo, so that present one protests formal before the authorities of the African country, to tie to Spain with a supposed putsch coup participant, according to sources of the Office of Informacio'n Diploma'tica (OID).

One of the 67 prisoners, Simon Mann, "has cooperated and revealed that they (the mercenarios) were helped by the Spanish MI6 (the British espionage), company and secret services", has explained the minister.

"the western intelligence services persuaded to the head of the police and the Army of Equatorial Guinea so that they did not offer resistance and they cooperated with the coup participants ", in exchange for ministerial positions in the new government, it has added.

Request for extradition to Spain

Equatorial Guinea, old Spanish colony, is governed at the present time of dictatorial way by Teodoro Obiang, that indeed today has asked for to Spain the extradition of Severe Moto , the president of the self-proclaimed Government of Equatorial Guinea in exile, and that has denied any relation with the lengthy mercenarios.

On the other hand, the supposed ringleader of the foreigners stopped in Malabo, the South African Nick Dutoit, affirmed that his objective era to kidnap to the president, Teodoro Obiang and to bring it to Spain to replace it by the competing leader Severe Moto.

According to misionera agency Misna, Dutoit, identified by Malabo as a dealer of arms and diamonds, made these declarations to the ecuatoguineana television. The South African, of 48 years, spoke in English seated before a table next to all the credited foreign ambassadors in the country. Spanish diplomatic sources confirmed that Secretary of State, Pastor Michá, summoned all the ambassadors to inform into the putsch coup participant to them and who in the meeting were Dutoit, with which is possible that the declarations were made Wednesday.

Blockade


The past January, the Government decided to postpone the apparent shipment to Equatorial Guinea of the ship of supplying ' Patiñó and understood frigate ' Canarias' by "bad arisen between some political parties from the ecuatoguineana opposition and in Spanish mass media".

The minister of Outer Subjects, Ana Palace, clarified after both ships " did not go in mission military, but of cooperation " and had predicted to travel, not only to that country, but also to Gabon.