S.A. ‘knew of coup bid’

Press, 13 February 1982, Page 8

S.A. ‘knew of coup bid’

NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg The United Nations commission investigating the abortive doup by mercenaries in the Seychelles in November had gained the impression that South African authorities turned a “blind eye” to the mission, the "Rand Daily Mail” reported yesterday. It quoted commission sources after their investigations which took them to Swaziland, where the disguised mercenaries took a scheduled flight to the island republic, and to South Africa where the. mercenaries, were recruited and returned after the failed mission.

The commission gained the impression there had been some “official knowledge” of the affair and that the South African Army was “hiding information,” the report said. ; A Defence Force spokesman acknowledged that an official investigation had been made into the issuing of call-up papers to some of the mercenaries.

But the spokesman, Colonel Tim Krynauw, would not divulge details of the findings of the Army board. He said he did not want to prejudice next month’s trial of the mercenaries on hijacking charges.