Former British Special Forces officer Simon Mann, accused of leading a coup plot to topple the government in Equatorial Guinea, is to be extradited to the oil-rich West African nation.

The extradition trial of former British special forces officer Simon Mann, an alleged ringleader in a coup plot to overthrow the government in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, resumed in Harare, Zimbabwe, today.

South African president Thabo Mbeki was regularly informed of the progress of an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea which was also sanctioned by the United States, Britain and Spain, a state witness testified today.

Sixty alleged mercenaries accused of plotting a coup in the West African nation of Equatorial Guinea are due to be deported to South Africa today after spending more than a year in a Zimbabwe prison.

Mark Thatcher has been refused a visa to be reunited with his family in the United States, his spokesman confirmed today.

More than 60 South Africans jailed in Zimbabwe last year for their involvement in a botched coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea are due to be released following a court decision to reduce their 12-month sentence.

Sir Mark Thatcher left court a South African court today expressing confidence he had cleared away suspicions he had any role in a foiled coup plot featuring wealthy European financiers, soldiers of fortune and an African dictatorship.

Mark Thatcher - son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher - appeared in a Cape Town court today to face questioning about a botched coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea.

MARK Thatcher pleaded guilty yesterday to unwittingly helping to finance a foiled coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, accepting a $506,000 fine and suspended jail sentence.

Mark Thatcher avoided jail in South Africa after striking a plea bargain over his alleged role in a coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.

Margaret Thatcher's son Mark, accused of bankrolling a coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, is expected to appear in a South African court today amid reports of a plea-bargain deal.

MARK THATCHER is to plead guilty to a coup charge when he appears in court in South Africa today amid reports of a plea bargain deal.

Mark Thatcher, accused of bankrolling a coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, is expected in a South African court tomorrow amid reports of a plea bargain deal.

Britain's European Union commissioner Peter Mandelson may be questioned by South African police over his knowledge of an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea, it was claimed today.

SOUTH African arms dealer Nick du Toit, who has been linked to Mark Thatcher, was jailed for 34 years in Equatorial Guinea yesterday for his part in a failed coup.

A South African arms dealer linked to Sir Mark Thatcher escaped the death penalty but was jailed for 34 years today for his role in an Equatorial Guinea coup plot.

Mark Thatcher appeared in court in Cape Town today for the start of his trial on charges of helping to finance a foiled coup attempt in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea. The case was immediately postponed until April 8.

MARK THATCHER - suspected of financing a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea - will have to answer questions from the West African nation’s investigators, a court ruled yesterday.

Mark Thatcher – suspected of financing a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea - will have to answer questions from the West African nation’s investigators, a court ruled today.

Mark Thatcher has been charged with involvement in a coup plot in oil rich Equatorial Guinea, prosecutors confirmed today.

Mark Thatcher and his lawyers went to court today to wrap up their challenge to the legality of a South African subpoena to question him about a coup attempt in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.

LAWYERS defending Mark Thatcher against charges he helped finance a coup attempt in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea yesterday challenged the legality of a South African government subpoena to question him.

Sir Mark Thatcher, son of the former British prime minister, appeared in a South African magistrates’ court today for a televised hearing on charges that he helped bankroll a failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea.

Sir Mark Thatcher has arrived at a magistrates’ court in South Africa for a hearing on charges that he allegedly helped bankroll a coup attempt that failed in Equatorial Guinea.

South African television won permission today to broadcast a hearing this week on a request by Equatorial Guinea to question Mark Thatcher about an alleged coup plot in the oil-rich nation.

I CAN’T help feeling reassured when a shadowy foreigner with family connections to a discredited regime is arrested under suspicion of exporting terror.

BRITISH mercenary leader Simon Mann, with whom Mark Thatcher is allegedly involved in a coup plot, was jailed for seven years in Zimbabwe yesterday for conspiring to buy weapons.

British mercenary leader Simon Mann, a neighbour of Mark Thatcher, was jailed for seven years in Zimbabwe today for conspiring to buy weapons of war.

Mark Thatcher has been subpoenaed to appear before a magistrate to answer questions related to his alleged financing of a failed coup in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, a lawyer said today.

Mark Thatcher is likely to be questioned within days over his alleged involvement in an attempt coup in Equatorial Guinea.

The court hearing a coup trial in Equatorial Guinea suspended proceedings indefinitely today, heeding prosecutors’ requests for more information about the alleged role of Sir Mark Thatcher and other British financiers.

The wife of Mark Thatcher flew into Britain this morning, reportedly en route to a move to the United States.

South Africa is considering a request by Equatorial Guinea to question Mark Thatcher about his alleged involvement in a foiled coup plot in the oil-rich west African nation.

Equatorial Guinea said today it had requested international arrest warrants for Mark Thatcher, son of the former British prime minister, and other Britons implicated in a coup plot.

THE alleged ringleader of a plot to topple the government in Equatorial Guinea was convicted yesterday of trying to buy weapons from Zimbabwe’s state arms manufacturer, but 66 other suspected mercenaries were acquitted of the charge.

Most of the 70 suspected mercenaries accused of participating in a foiled plot to overthrow the government in Equatorial Guinea were acquitted today of charges that they conspired to buy weapons from Zimbabwe’s state arms manufacturer.

The government of Equatorial Guinea has asked South Africa to extradite Mark Thatcher, son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who is under house arrest for his alleged role in a coup plot against Equatorial Guinea.

MARK THATCHER was planning to leave South Africa when he was arrested, authorities said yesterday.

Hatched by Old Etonians and other members of the British political and financial elite, an alleged scheme to seize control of Equatorial Guinea flush with petrodollars was no ordinary African coup plot.

THE exploits of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s only son have often come under scrutiny over the years.

MARK THATCHER, son of former British Prime Minister Margaret, was charged yesterday with violating South Africa's anti-mercenary law in connection with an alleged plot to topple the government of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.

Mark Thatcher, son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was arrested and charged today with helping to finance a foiled coup attempt in oil rich Equatorial Guinea.

Mark Thatcher, former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher's son, met with the alleged top coup conspirator in the months before an alleged foiled plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, one of the defendants told a court today.

Mark Thatcher, the son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, was arrested today over claims that he was involved in a plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea.