Mercenary admits part in African coup plot

Published on Tuesday 11 March 2008 23:24

A BRITISH mercenary awaiting trial for plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea has admitted involvement in the conspiracy.

But Simon Mann, 55, a former SAS officer, insisted he was not the "main man" behind plans to overthrow the West African nation's government in 2004.

The Old Etonian gave a TV interview from inside the notorious Black Beach prison in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea's capital, in which he spoke of his sorrow for what happened.

He said: "It was a f***-up and I have to carry the can for that. I blame myself most for simply not saying 'cut' two months before we were arrested.

"That's what I should have done, and there I was bloody stupid. Mea culpa (my fault]."

He was secretly extradited from Zimbabwe last month in what he described as an "illegal violent abduction".

Looking in relatively good health, though his arms and legs were shackled, Mann dismissed rumours that the disgraced peer Lord Archer and the EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson were involved in the plot.

"That really is a mystery to me," he said, adding: "I was involved. I was, if you like, the manager – not the architect, and not the main man…

"Here am I, accused of all these terrible things, when in actual fact, nothing happened. There was no attempt. We didn't ever get any weapons. We didn't get on an aircraft to come here…

"Yes, certainly the intent was there and it was a f***-up, but now I'm kidnapped and then smuggled out of the country with violence in complete contravention to Zimbabwe's law.

"I'm actually a victim of a far more serious crime than any crime I've committed."

Mann will stand trial later this month accused of plotting a coup to oust the president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.