Скачать или смотреть WRAP Son of former UK PM leaves home after arrest, reax, FILE

(25 Aug 2004)
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Cape Town, South Africa - 25 August 2004
1. Various of press outside house (Number "10" on gatepost)
2. Mark Thatcher leaves his house and gets into waiting police car
3. Police car drives out through gates
4. Press surround the car
5. Cars drive away
UK - 25 August 2004
SKY - No Access UK/CNNi/Internet
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Anderson, political commentator:
"I never had the impression that Mark Thatcher was very worried about his public image. He likes money, he liked making money. He never lacked self confidence - some might even say arrogance. I think he felt he was entitled to do more or less what he liked, when he liked and where he liked it. I don't think he thought in terms of embarrassing his mother. He wasn't himself an embarrassable character."
7. FILE of Mark and Margaret Thatcher at Denis Thatcher's funeral on July 3 2003.
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FILE: Harare, Zimbabwe - 8 March 2004
8. Various shot of of jet suspected of carrying mercenaries impounded at Zimbabwe's Harare International Airport
9. Close up of registration number on side of plane
10. Various of Zimbabwean military officers showing items found on aeroplane
APTN
FILE: Zimbabwe, 23 March 2004
11. Various shots of suspected mercenaries appearing in court at Chikurubi Prison, the figure on left with darker hair, beard and glasses is Simon Mann, the alleged mercenary leader
12. Various of shackled prisoners being led into courtroom
13. Prisoners sitting in court room
14. Close up of guard's handcuffs
15. Various of shackled prisoners being led away from courtroom
STORYLINE:
Mark Thatcher, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was arrested and charged in South Africa on Wednesday with helping to finance a foiled coup attempt in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.
Thatcher, a 51-year-old businessman who has lived in South African since 2002, was arrested at his Cape Town home and brought before the Wynberg Magistrate's Court to be formally charged with violating South Africa's Foreign Military Assistance Act.
Thatcher was placed under house arrest and has until September 8 to post 2million Rand (US$297,460) bail.
Police with search warrants raided Thatcher's home in Cape Town's Constantia suburb shortly after 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) on Wednesday.
He was held there while investigators searched his records and computers for evidence linking him to the alleged plot to overthrow Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang, which authorities claim was foiled in March.
Thatcher left the house in a police vehicle hours later, dressed in a dark suit and blue shirt. But his court appearance was delayed when he was robbed of his shoes, jacket and cell phone in a crowded holding cell, according to a court official who witnessed the attack.
Thatcher did not appear to have been injured and police were trying to recover the items, said the official, who asked not to be identified.
Thatcher's lawyer Peter Hodes said the businessman was arrested on suspicion of providing financing for a helicopter linked to the coup plot. Hodes said his client would be pleading not guilty.
Equatorial Guinea has put 19 people on trial for involvement in the alleged coup, and one other defendant died in custody under suspicious circumstances.
Seventy other accused mercenaries are on trial separately in Zimbabwe, including the alleged ringleader, former British special forces member Simon Mann.
A South African on trial in Equatorial Guinea over his role in the alleged coup testified on Wednesday that Thatcher met Mann in July 2003. But Thatcher's lawyers have rejected the claim.

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