A former CIA agent has revealed that the agency played a ‘key role’ in the arrest of Nelson Mandela‚ which led to his trial and imprisonment for almost 28 years.
Mandela was arrested by the South African police after his cover – he was pretending to be a chauffeur – and then charged with treason for his role in the ANC’s underground operations.
According to the operative‚ Donald Rickard‚ the CIA helped track down Mandela because he was “the world’s most dangerous communist”.
In an interview shortly before he died on March 30‚ Rickard said: ‘We were teetering on the brink here and it had to be stopped‚ which meant Mandela had to be stopped. And I put a stop to it.”
Rickard retired from the CIA in 1978 and retired to Colorado.
The London Sunday Times described the revelation as a “bombshell disclosure” that will lead to calls for the CIA to come clean about its relationship with the apartheid government.
Rickard was a junior diplomat at the US Durban consulate at the time of Mandela’s arrest.
When asked about his role in the arrest in 2012‚ he told the Wall Street Journal: “It’s untrue. There’s no substance to it.”
Rickard has now changed his mind and decided to come clean about his involvement.
Tiso Black Star Group Digital/RDM
Bombshell: CIA spy admits to role in Mandela's arrest
Mandela was arrested by the South African police after his cover – he was pretending to be a chauffeur – and then charged with treason for his role in the ANC’s underground operations.
According to the operative‚ Donald Rickard‚ the CIA helped track down Mandela because he was “the world’s most dangerous communist”.
In an interview shortly before he died on March 30‚ Rickard said: ‘We were teetering on the brink here and it had to be stopped‚ which meant Mandela had to be stopped. And I put a stop to it.”
Rickard retired from the CIA in 1978 and retired to Colorado.
The London Sunday Times described the revelation as a “bombshell disclosure” that will lead to calls for the CIA to come clean about its relationship with the apartheid government.
Rickard was a junior diplomat at the US Durban consulate at the time of Mandela’s arrest.
When asked about his role in the arrest in 2012‚ he told the Wall Street Journal: “It’s untrue. There’s no substance to it.”
Rickard has now changed his mind and decided to come clean about his involvement.
Tiso Black Star Group Digital/RDM
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