Links have been discovered between senior American military officials
and the failed coup plot in Equatorial Guinea that has left Sir Mark
Thatcher facing trial in South Africa. Theresa Whelan, a member of the
Bush administration in charge of African affairs at the Pentagon, twice
met a London-based businessman, Greg Wales, in Washington before the
coup attempt. Mr Wales has been accused of being one of its organisers,
but has denied any involvement. A US defence official told Newsweek
magazine yesterday: "Mr Wales mentioned in passing _ there might be
some trouble brewing in Equatorial Guinea. Specifically, he had heard
from some business associates of his that wealthy citizens of the
country were planning to flee in case of a crisis." The regime of
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea has
accused the US of backing the plot, but the Pentagon denies supporting
it. US officials say it was Mr Wales who made all the approaches to
them. [more ]
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