HERE THEY ARE: The men who allegedly planned an assassination, but instead, if found guilty, will have ruined their own lives
If four alleged right-wing extremists had managed to pull off their plan, President Jacob Zuma, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and other senior members of the ANC would have been killed on Sunday.
The four men and other suspects, who are expected to be arrested, had planned to assassinate Zuma, Motlanthe, cabinet ministers and other senior officials in what would have been called Die Slag van Mangaung, translated as The Battle of Mangaung.
They would have fired mortars from a distance and assault rifles at a dining hall where the ANC leadership were gathered. They had photos of the conference facility.
Prosecutor Advocate Shaun Abrahams yesterday gave this chilling account to a packed Bloemfontein Regional Court of how Martin Trollip, 48, John Martin Keevy, 47, Johan Hendrik Prinsloo, 49, and Hein Boonzaaier, 51, had planned the attack.
The men face charges of high treason and terrorism.
They were arrested on Sunday. Trollip was arrested in Northern Cape, Keevy in Bloemfontein, Prinsloo in Springs and Boonzaaier at his house in Centurion, Gauteng.
"Trollip was a right-winger and a leader of the Wit Brandwag. He had made a confession before a magistrate soon after his arrest.
"Keevy was not attached to any movement but was also a right-winger.
"Prinsloo was a member of the Boere Beskermings Forum and was also a former chairman of Volber (Volksoganisasiesleiersberaad), another right-wing movement, while Boonzaaier was a well-known right-winger," he said.
Abrahams said during this year the four accused and others held various meetings.
"On January 24, a meeting was held in Centurion where it was decided that they would form a political party and proposed that it would be called the Boere Party to enhance the principles of self-governance and independence of the Boere. The party was going to be used as a front to commit terrorism," he said.
Police seized firearms, cellphones and laptop computers when they arrested the suspects. These would be forensically analysed.
Abrahams said police had warrants of arrest for outstanding suspects.
The case was postponed until next month for a formal bail application.
Following two days of conflicting reports from the police on whether or not the four planned to attack the ANC conference, Free State police spokesman Brigadier Billy Jones said they could "not confirm the link when we arrested them".
- ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
Court hears of plot to kill ANC leaders
HERE THEY ARE: The men who allegedly planned an assassination, but instead, if found guilty, will have ruined their own lives
If four alleged right-wing extremists had managed to pull off their plan, President Jacob Zuma, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and other senior members of the ANC would have been killed on Sunday.
The four men and other suspects, who are expected to be arrested, had planned to assassinate Zuma, Motlanthe, cabinet ministers and other senior officials in what would have been called Die Slag van Mangaung, translated as The Battle of Mangaung.
They would have fired mortars from a distance and assault rifles at a dining hall where the ANC leadership were gathered. They had photos of the conference facility.
Prosecutor Advocate Shaun Abrahams yesterday gave this chilling account to a packed Bloemfontein Regional Court of how Martin Trollip, 48, John Martin Keevy, 47, Johan Hendrik Prinsloo, 49, and Hein Boonzaaier, 51, had planned the attack.
The men face charges of high treason and terrorism.
They were arrested on Sunday. Trollip was arrested in Northern Cape, Keevy in Bloemfontein, Prinsloo in Springs and Boonzaaier at his house in Centurion, Gauteng.
"Trollip was a right-winger and a leader of the Wit Brandwag. He had made a confession before a magistrate soon after his arrest.
"Keevy was not attached to any movement but was also a right-winger.
"Prinsloo was a member of the Boere Beskermings Forum and was also a former chairman of Volber (Volksoganisasiesleiersberaad), another right-wing movement, while Boonzaaier was a well-known right-winger," he said.
Abrahams said during this year the four accused and others held various meetings.
"On January 24, a meeting was held in Centurion where it was decided that they would form a political party and proposed that it would be called the Boere Party to enhance the principles of self-governance and independence of the Boere. The party was going to be used as a front to commit terrorism," he said.
Police seized firearms, cellphones and laptop computers when they arrested the suspects. These would be forensically analysed.
Abrahams said police had warrants of arrest for outstanding suspects.
The case was postponed until next month for a formal bail application.
Following two days of conflicting reports from the police on whether or not the four planned to attack the ANC conference, Free State police spokesman Brigadier Billy Jones said they could "not confirm the link when we arrested them".
- ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
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