Simon Mann Pardoned

[JohnnyJones]

Good news!

I think the E.G. authorities will want us to extradite some of the other plotters though.

[Lefty Two Drams]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

It certainly would.

[Lefty Two Drams]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8339372.st...

[JohnnyJones]

Bet Scratcher is worried...

[rpguk]

I wonder what shady deals were behind this outcome then

[Fittster]

Considering he's as guilty as sin you do wonder what kind of deal has been done to get him out.

[Lefty Two Drams]

I don't think there's any question of guilt, his conviction hasn't been overturned or anything like that - he's been pardoned for medical reasons.

[Parrot of Doom]

The BBC really need to employ some decent copyeditors:

"Mann, who was sentenced in July 2008, admitted conspiring to oust President Teodoro Obiang Nguema during his trial."

So the President was on trial, and Mann attempted to oust him at that time?

[Lefty Two Drams]

Parrot of Doom said:

The BBC really need to employ some decent copyeditors:

"Mann, who was sentenced in July 2008, admitted conspiring to oust President Teodoro Obiang Nguema during his trial."

So the President was on trial, and Mann attempted to oust him at that time?

Yep, they're cack, have been for a long time and getting worse.

Reuters normally a bit better.

[BOR]

JohnnyJones said:

Good news!

Why is it good news ? Is there some doubt over his participation as a mercenary in this ?

[Marf]

Who was funding this alleged coup?

[Lefty Two Drams]

BOR said:

JohnnyJones said:

Good news!

Why is it good news ? Is there some doubt over his participation as a mercenary in this ?

You don't think his sentence was OTT?

[BOR]

Not really, no.

[Lefty Two Drams]

Marf said:

Who was funding this alleged coup?

Ah, now that is the question... Mark Thatcher obviously wasn't - he was giving aid money because he's such a caring chap.

[JagLover]

BOR said:

JohnnyJones said:

Good news!

Why is it good news ? Is there some doubt over his participation as a mercenary in this ?

What is so bad about overthrowing a corrupt dictator?

[Fittster]

JagLover said:

BOR said:

JohnnyJones said:

Good news!

Why is it good news ? Is there some doubt over his participation as a mercenary in this ?

What is so bad about overthrowing a corrupt dictator?

Why is it his position to remove the leader of a country? He broke the laws of the country he was in and should suffer the consequences.

[JagLover]

Fittster said:

JagLover said:

BOR said:

JohnnyJones said:

Good news!

Why is it good news ? Is there some doubt over his participation as a mercenary in this ?

What is so bad about overthrowing a corrupt dictator?

Why is it his position to remove the leader of a country? He broke the laws of the country he was in and should suffer the consequences.

He broke the laws of the country he was in so they were quite entitled to jail him. I just fail to see why we should celebrate the fact he is was jailed or regard it as being bad news that he is being released.

[JohnnyJones]

Fittster said:

JagLover said:

BOR said:

JohnnyJones said:

Good news!

Why is it good news ? Is there some doubt over his participation as a mercenary in this ?

What is so bad about overthrowing a corrupt dictator?

Why is it his position to remove the leader of a country? He broke the laws of the country he was in and should suffer the consequences.

How did he break the laws of the country he was in?

I understood he was on the other side of the continent when laws were broken, and then I've seen nothing to say that he broke them.

[BOR]

JagLover said:

BOR said:

JohnnyJones said:

Good news!

Why is it good news ? Is there some doubt over his participation as a mercenary in this ?

What is so bad about overthrowing a corrupt dictator?

No smilie ?

In principal it's a good thing, if that's the aim. But let's be honest, the aim was to trouser as much of that country's wealth as possible, and getting rid of a dictator was simply a means to an end. Replacing one dictator with another criminal isn't really praiseworthy, or an excuse for a coup.

[GT03ROB]

JohnnyJones said:

Fittster said:

JagLover said:

BOR said:

JohnnyJones said:

Good news!

Why is it good news ? Is there some doubt over his participation as a mercenary in this ?

What is so bad about overthrowing a corrupt dictator?

Why is it his position to remove the leader of a country? He broke the laws of the country he was in and should suffer the consequences.

How did he break the laws of the country he was in?

I understood he was on the other side of the continent when laws were broken, and then I've seen nothing to say that he broke them.

Well aside from the fact he was at best arms smuggling in Zimbabwe...

The real issue is the guy was a twit. For somebody who knew so much about Africa what he did was a joke. His main crime was being stupid. Use Obiangs best mates country as a base....laugable. Fail to understand Equatorial Guinea...incompetent. Several years in Black Beach will have taught him a lesson thats for sure.

A coup in the country would be a piece of cake. The army is usually pissed. The only protection Obiang has are his Morrocan bodyguards, who spend most of their time posing round Malabo in their SL's. Obaing stays in place because he's convienient for Exxon & Marathon.