[JURIST] Mark Thatcher [BBC News profile], son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, appeared in a South African court Friday to answer questions about his role in an alleged coup plot [BBC Q/A] in Equatorial Guinea [official website; US State Department backgrounder]. Last month, Thatcher pleaded guilty to charges to that he helped finance the plot and was fined for his role [JURIST report]. As part of his plea bargain, Thatcher agreed to answer questions submitted by Equatorial Guinea prosecutors who are trying to determine the scope of British involvement in the coup attempt. Speaking in court Friday, Thatcher emphasized that he did not know that his money was being used in the coup plot and that he had no direct knowledge of the plot, but did say that he knew many of the people allegedly involved. BBC News has more.