"Financiers behind coup bid, trial told"

Oil-rich Equatorial Guinea target
89 stand trial in 2 African countries

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea—Financiers in Europe and Africa were behind a plot to overthrow the government of Africa's third-largest oil producer, an accused ringleader testified yesterday at the opening of Africa's biggest trial of mercenaries in decades.

Equatorial Guinea accuses 89 suspected mercenaries of signing on to a $5 million plot to oust President Teodoro Obiang, who has ruled this country, split between volcanic islands and a mountainous jungle mainland, since deposing his uncle in a 1979 coup and executing him.

The trial opened in a government convention centre converted to a courtroom, hung with crystal chandeliers and ringed with armed troops.

Seventy suspects are on trial separately in Zimbabwe, where they were arrested March 6. A 90th defendant, a German, died in prison here after what Amnesty International said was suspected torture.

At stake are hundreds of millions of petrodollars in this mildewed, rain-streaked nation of 500,000, Africa's biggest oil producer after Nigeria and Angola.

Full Article : thestar.com