On March 7, 2004 Simon Mann, a privileged upper class Briton, along with 80 mercenaries mainly from South Africa were foiled in their plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea in order to take control of the country's vast oil resources. Also, implicated in the coup was Margaret Thatcher's son Sir Mark Thatcher. After eluding the authorities for a year Sir Mark eventually pleaded guilty to financing the plot. Mann was recently sentenced to 34 years in prison. During his trial he said that the United States and Spain gave him the go ahead for the coup. Equatorial Guinea, a former Spanish colony, is one of Africa’s smallest countries — it is roughly the size of Maryland and has half a million inhabitants. But it has vast reserves of crude oil beneath its coastal waters, most of which is drilled by American companies. The country is routinely ranked as one of the most corrupt and repressive in Africa. In addition on websites in support of Mr. Mann they have leveled accusations of cannibalism as a real and plausible threat to Mann during his imprisonment.
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