Difference between revisions of "Mark Thatcher"

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{{person
 
{{person
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|WP=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Thatcher
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|name=Sir Mark Thatcher
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|image=Sir_Mark_Thatcher.jpg
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|image_width=240px
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|alma_mater=Harrow School
 
|parents=Dennis Thatcher, Margaret Thatcher
 
|parents=Dennis Thatcher, Margaret Thatcher
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|wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Thatcher
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|spouses=Diane Burgdorf, Sarah Jane Russell
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|birth_date=1953-08-15
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|birth_place=Hammersmith, London, England
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|nationality=British
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|children=Michael Thatcher, Amanda Thatcher
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|constitutes=criminal
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|historycommons=http://www.historycommons.org/entity.jsp?entity=mark_thatcher_1
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|political_parties=Conservative
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|employment=
 
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'''Sir Mark Thatcher''', son of [[Margaret Thatcher]] gained a lot of wealth through the [[Al-Yamamah arms deal]], some of which he used to fund the failed [[2004 Equatorial Guinea coup attempt]]. He was convicted of the latter effort in a [[South African]] court in 2005.<ref name='afrol'/>
  
 
==Al-Yamamah arms deal==
 
==Al-Yamamah arms deal==
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Mark Thatcher has denied claims that in 1985 he received millions of pounds in commission in relation to the [[Al-Yamamah arms deal]], the UK's biggest ever [[arms deal]] in which [[BAE]] sold around £50 billion of weapons to [[Saudi Arabia]]. He has not denied that a house in Belgravia, London was purchased for him for £1 million in 1987 by an offshore company controlled by [[Wafic Saïd]], a middleman in the deal.<ref>Leigh, David (11 April 2013). [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/apr/11/mark-thatcher "Mark Thatcher's return to the spotlight"]. ''[[The Guardian]]''</ref>
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'''Sir Mark Thatcher''' has denied claims that in 1985 he received millions of pounds in commission in relation to the [[Al-Yamamah arms deal]], the UK's biggest ever [[arms deal]] in which [[BAE]] sold around £50 billion of weapons to [[Saudi Arabia]]. He has not denied that a house in Belgravia, London was purchased for him for £1 million in 1987 by an offshore company controlled by [[Wafic Saïd]], a middleman in the deal.<ref>Leigh, David (11 April 2013). ''[http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/apr/11/mark-thatcher "Mark Thatcher's return to the spotlight"]''. ''[[The Guardian]]''</ref>
  
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==2004 Equatorial Guinea coup attempt==
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Mark Thatcher has admitted putting money into [[Crause Steyl]]'s company, Triple A Aviation, but he has said it was to cover the cost of an air ambulance project. Steyl dismissed this explanation. "He knew what was going on," he said. "I only knew him in the context of the Equatorial Guinea business. I didn't know him before and I haven't met him since."<ref name='ES'>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Secret contacts list at heart of coup plot' | date= | publisher= | url = http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-13969112-details/Secret+contacts+list+at+heart+of+coup+plot%27/article.do;jsessionid=QfbyGTNKBTvM7K6NHrxTwrfPgDvhYl7HZnQ2vRyQTWWXHLs0DYRV!1600650677!-1407319225!7001!-1 | work =[[Evening Standard]] | pages = | accessdate = 24 August 2007 | language = }}</ref>
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[[Crause Steyl]] explained it: "I met Mark (Thatcher) three or four times. He was a partner in the venture. He put in about $250,000. The money was wired to my company account in various installments. The helicopters cost about $600 an hour plus $5,000 each for the pilots and $10,000 a month for special insurance."<ref name='ES'/>
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On 13 October 2004 in London, a lawyer for the Equatorial Guinea government said that telephone records showed four calls between the homes of one of the alleged financiers behind the plot, [[Ely Calil]], and Lord [[Jeffrey Archer]] in the run-up to the coup attempt in March.<ref name='ES'/> Another alleged plotter, [[Greg Wales]], also made five calls to Sir Mark Thatcher in the days after the failed coup.<ref name='NEWARCHER'>{{cite news | first= David| last= Pallister| coauthors= | title= New Archer link to coup plot alleged | date= 13 October 2004| publisher= | url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/equatorialguinea/story/0,,1326040,00.html | work =Guardian | pages = | accessdate = 22 August 2007 | language = | location=London}}</ref>
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Mark Thatcher reportedly "likened the need for radical change in the oil-rich [[Equatorial Guinea]] to the way London's Docklands had been redeveloped during the 1980s."<ref>''[http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/apr/14/thatcher-knew-of-equatorial-giunea-coup-attempt Margaret Thatcher 'gave her approval' to her son Mark's failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea]''</ref>
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===Guilty Plea===
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On 13 January 2005, Mark Thatcher, pleaded guilty in a South African court to helping finance a coup plot in [[Equatorial Guinea]]. South African police were able to prove that Mr Thatcher had transferred about US$285,000 to the mercenaries that were to execute the operation and had met and talking frequently to them prior to the coup attempt. After pleading guilty, he was given a four-year [[suspended sentence]] and a fine of about US$560,000.<ref name='afrol'>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Mark Thatcher admits Equatorial Guinea coup plans | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.afrol.com/articles/15309 | work =afrol News | pages = | accessdate = 24 August 2007 | language = }}</ref>
 
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==References==
 
==References==
 
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Latest revision as of 08:21, 2 June 2021

Person.png Sir Mark Thatcher  Rdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
(criminal)
Sir Mark Thatcher.jpg
Born1953-08-15
Hammersmith, London, England
NationalityBritish
Alma materHarrow School
Parents • Dennis Thatcher
• Margaret Thatcher
Children • Michael Thatcher
• Amanda Thatcher
Spouse • Diane Burgdorf
• Sarah Jane Russell
Perpetrator ofEquatorial Guinea/2004 coup d'état attempt
PartyConservative

Sir Mark Thatcher, son of Margaret Thatcher gained a lot of wealth through the Al-Yamamah arms deal, some of which he used to fund the failed 2004 Equatorial Guinea coup attempt. He was convicted of the latter effort in a South African court in 2005.[1]

Al-Yamamah arms deal

Sir Mark Thatcher has denied claims that in 1985 he received millions of pounds in commission in relation to the Al-Yamamah arms deal, the UK's biggest ever arms deal in which BAE sold around £50 billion of weapons to Saudi Arabia. He has not denied that a house in Belgravia, London was purchased for him for £1 million in 1987 by an offshore company controlled by Wafic Saïd, a middleman in the deal.[2]

2004 Equatorial Guinea coup attempt

Mark Thatcher has admitted putting money into Crause Steyl's company, Triple A Aviation, but he has said it was to cover the cost of an air ambulance project. Steyl dismissed this explanation. "He knew what was going on," he said. "I only knew him in the context of the Equatorial Guinea business. I didn't know him before and I haven't met him since."[3]

Crause Steyl explained it: "I met Mark (Thatcher) three or four times. He was a partner in the venture. He put in about $250,000. The money was wired to my company account in various installments. The helicopters cost about $600 an hour plus $5,000 each for the pilots and $10,000 a month for special insurance."[3]

On 13 October 2004 in London, a lawyer for the Equatorial Guinea government said that telephone records showed four calls between the homes of one of the alleged financiers behind the plot, Ely Calil, and Lord Jeffrey Archer in the run-up to the coup attempt in March.[3] Another alleged plotter, Greg Wales, also made five calls to Sir Mark Thatcher in the days after the failed coup.[4]

Mark Thatcher reportedly "likened the need for radical change in the oil-rich Equatorial Guinea to the way London's Docklands had been redeveloped during the 1980s."[5]

Guilty Plea

On 13 January 2005, Mark Thatcher, pleaded guilty in a South African court to helping finance a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea. South African police were able to prove that Mr Thatcher had transferred about US$285,000 to the mercenaries that were to execute the operation and had met and talking frequently to them prior to the coup attempt. After pleading guilty, he was given a four-year suspended sentence and a fine of about US$560,000.[1]

 

An event carried out

EventLocationDescription
Equatorial Guinea/2004 coup d'état attemptSouth Africa
Equatorial Guinea		A failed coup in Equatorial Guinea with supporters including Mark Thatcher, Jeffrey Archer
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References

  1. ↑ a b {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  2. ↑ Leigh, David (11 April 2013). "Mark Thatcher's return to the spotlight". The Guardian
  3. ↑ a b c {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  4. ↑ {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  5. ↑ Margaret Thatcher 'gave her approval' to her son Mark's failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea
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