Equatorial Guinea Suspends Coup Trial

An Equatorial Guinea court Tuesday suspended trial indefinitely in an alleged coup plot in this oil-rich nation, saying it wanted more information on the alleged roles of Mark Thatcher, son of the former British prime minister, and other international financiers. Attorney General Jose Olo Obono asked for the suspension, saying it was "in the interest of transparency in light of new information coming out everyday - these new elements like Mark Thatcher's detention and questions about the financing. The three-judge tribunal agreed, saying international investigations needed to be finished before the trial could go on. Thatcher was placed under house arrest in South Africa on Aug. 25 after he posted a $2 million bond. Prosecutors accuse Thatcher and his alleged co-conspirators of scheming to replace Obiang's 25-year-old regime with a puppet government, and South Africa is considering a request by Equatorial Guinea to question him. [more ]