Three in court over bomb plot

10 January 2012 - 02:32 By PERTUNIA RATSATSI
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Three men who allegedly planned to start a racial war by bombing ANC members' houses appeared on charges of terrorism in the Pretoria High Court yesterday.

The three allegedly planned attacks on ANC members as well as on public transport vehicles used by blacks as part of a campaign to avenge AWB leader Eugene Terre Blanche's murder and in response to suspended ANC Youth League president Julius Malema's singing of the Shoot the Boer song.

Georgios Kiratzidis, 21, Marthinus Vorster, 20, and Ruan Louw, 21, allegedly planned to kill blacks living in the Lulekani, Mashishimale and Namakgale townships, near Phalaborwa.

Dirkie Breytenbach and Phillip Potgieter, who were allegedly among the planners, have both turned state witnesses.

Louw allegedly manufactured seven pipe bombs, and Kiratzidis and Vorster allegedly started carrying out the plan by damaging the grave of the former ambassador to Indonesia, Norman Mashabane.

They had a map of Phalaborwa with markings locating the homes of potential victims.

Louw claimed that he used the explosives to kill fish in a river. Vorster said the fact that he was present at a planning meeting did not mean he was a willing participant or that he participated in the planning. Kiratzidi pleaded guilty to the possession of explosives but denied planing attacks.

The case has been postponed to April 2 for judgment.

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