Pretoria - The Boeremag treason trial has been postponed on Thursday to give police a change to re-arrest two of the accused who escaped from the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday.
Judge Eben Jordaan postponed the trial early on Thursday to give the police an opportunity to search for Herman van Rooyen and Rudi Gouws, who went missing during the lunch recess on Wednesday afternoon.
He questioned why he was not informed immediately when it became known that the two were missing.
On Thursday police increased their visibility at the court. Armed police officers with bullet proof vests were present inside the court room and people attending were vigorously searched before entering the building.
The case was postponed
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
Prisoners 'must be cuffed' 04/05/2006 12:11 - (SA)
Pretoria - The two Boeremag accused escaped under the police's watch, not that of his department, said Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour on Thursday.
Balfour said: "I want to make it clear that it was not my people who took the Boeremag trialists to court."
Herman van Rooyen, 33, and Rudi Gouws, 28, went missing during the lunch hour recess of the treason trial at Pretoria High Court on Wednesday.
Balfour said he did not have all the details of the escape, but pleaded to judges not to ask officials to remove hand and feet cuffs of prisoners.
He said: "If it was us or if it was the police... we know the risk profile of the people we take care of. Some are highly dangerous."
He said correctional service officials often got into trouble if they didn't want to remove cuffs from people who were in some cases "highly, highly dangerous".
He said that Wednesday's escape was detrimental to the case and was in no one's interest. Balfour said: "I hope the police get those two guys back. They must face the music like anyone else."
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
No sign of Boeremag fugitives 04/05/2006 07:50 - (SA)
Pretoria - Police have worked through the night in the search for two Boeremag treason trial accused who escaped from the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday, police said on Thursday.
"They have been working through the night but at this moment in time there have been no new developments," said Director Sally de Beer, national police spokesperson.
Herman van Rooyen, 33, and Rudi Gouws, 28, went missing during the lunch hour recess. One of them had allegedly bankrolled the organisation.
"We have launched a massive search to track down these two, and are investigating the circumstance under which they went missing," De Beer said earlier.
Van Rooyen was caught in Pretoria in December 2002 in a bakkie allegedly rigged with 384kg of explosives and two bags of nuts and bolts for shrapnel.
At the time it was speculated that the car bomb was meant for a soccer game between Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld.
Van Rooyen was believed to have access to a R40m inheritance and to be bankrolling the Boeremag's activities.
The evening before Van Rooyen's arrest, Gouws was caught when he was lured into a police trap in Pretoria.
Their trial began in late 2003. Along with them were 20 other men, also charged with plotting a rightwing coup d'etat. They face 42 charges including murder, attempted murder, treason, terrorism, sabotage and arms and explosives offences.
Trial postponed several times
The trial was postponed several times due to problems with legal aid board payments, lawyers and matters such as the accused complaining of loud music in prison.
At one stage the accused threatened urgent legal action when Correctional Services informed them they were to be put in communal cells while their single cells were being renovated at Pretoria Local Prison.
They were eventually moved to a closed-off section at C-Max after negotiations with the department.
In 2004 a woman due to visit Van Rooyen was caught trying to smuggle five pre-paid telephone cards and a personal letter to him.
This year several witnesses testified about the explosions that rocked Soweto and the Buddhist Temple in Bronkhorstspruit, allegedly set off as part of the Boeremag's campaign.
The trial was adjourned until Thursday, when it would be decided if it should proceed without the two.
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
Boeremag 'money man' on the run 03/05/2006 22:49 - (SA)
Pretoria - One of the two men who escaped from holding cells at Pretoria High Court during the Boeremag treason trial is believed to be the organisation's "money man", with access to a R40m inheritance.
He is Herman van Rooyen, 33, who went missing with Rudi Gouws, 28 during the lunch break.
"There's no update," said director Sally de Beer, national police spokesperson, shortly before 20:00 when asked about the escaped men.
She said it was also too early to say how they might have escaped, but this would be investigated.
De Beer said: "We have launched a massive search to track down these two, and are investigating the circumstances under which they went missing."
Lured into a police trap
Van Rooyen was caught in Pretoria in December 2002 in a bakkie rigged with 384kg of explosives and two bags of nuts and bolts for shrapnel.
At the time, it was speculated that the car bomb was meant for a soccer game between Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
The evening before Van Rooyen's arrest, Gouws was caught when he was lured into a police trap in Pretoria.
Their trial began in late 2003. Along with them were 20 other men, also charged with plotting a rightwing coup d'etat.
They face 42 charges, among them murder, attempted murder, treason, terrorism, sabotage, and arms and explosives offences.
The trial was postponed several times due to problems with legal aid board payments, lawyers and matters such as the accused complaining of loud music in prison.
At one stage, the accused threatened urgent legal action when correctional services informed them they were to be put in communal cells while their single cells were being renovated at Pretoria Local Prison.
Caught with five phone cards
They were eventually moved to a closed-off section at C-Max after negotiations with the department.
In 2004, a woman due to visit Van Rooyen was caught trying to smuggle five pre-paid telephone cards and a personal letter to him.
This year, several witnesses have testified that the explosions that rocked Soweto and the Buddhist Temple in Bronkhorstspruit, were set off allegedly as part of the Boeremag's campaign.
The trial was adjourned until Thursday, when it will be decided whether it will proceed without the two men or not.
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
Boeremag trial hears of bombs 17/03/2006 20:08 - (SA)
Pretoria - An Imam's wife has told the Boeremag trial she saw white men drive a white Volkswagen golf "extremely slowly" past a mosque in Soweto, a week before it was bombed.
The Pretoria High Court heard on Friday that a loud noise woke Barbara Mary Senetjane just before midnight on October 29 2002.
The whole building shook and thick dust fell from the ceiling.
"I felt an immense pressure on my body. My husband said it was a bomb and went out to investigate, while I phoned the fire department," she told the court.
Shortly afterwards, there were two more explosions. Senetjane left the room, to find the passage outside littered with debris and ceiling boards.
Bomb under staircase
A bomb had been placed underneath a staircase between the mosque and the school.
The staircase had collapsed and there was a hole in the wall of a classroom.
"A week before the incident, I was walking in the garden when a white Golf drove past extremely slowly. There were white men in the vehicle and they looked at me in an offensive manner. I asked them: 'What's your problem?' and they just drove off," she testified.
Cross-examined by advocate Piet Pistorius on why this had not been in her statement to the police, Senetjane replied that it was possible the policeman who took her statement had not included it because he "didn't find it significant at that time".
Container contained clock and battery
The court also heard evidence about an explosion the next day at the Buddhist Temple in Bronkhorstspruit.
Workman John Selemela was busy with wiring in the basement with a colleague, August Ntuli, when he saw a bag, looked inside and took out a plastic container holding a clock and a battery.
While showing it to Ntuli, Selema pushed the bag aside with his foot. It exploded, injuring his legs and Ntuli's upper body..
Ntuli told the court he saw something like river sand in the bag. It had exploded when Selemela opened the container's lid, he testified.
The 22 accused in the Boeremag trial have pleaded not guilty to charges of committing acts allegedly to topple the government.
They are accused of planting several bombs and planning several attacks to succeed in their coup attempt.
The trial continues on March 22.
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
Court sees gruesome pictures 22/03/2006 19:16 - (SA)
Pretoria - Photographs of the gruesome scene where a Soweto woman died in an explosion, allegedly part of the Boeremag's coup plot, were shown in Pretoria High Court on Wednesday.
Colour photos of the scene where Claudia Mokone was murdered in the early hours of October 29 2002, formed part of a bundle of photos handed in by the State.
The heavy piece of metal railway track that fell through the roof of Mokone's shack and killed her on the bed where she and her husband were sleeping was also handed in as evidence.
Police explosives expert Captain Albertus La Grange testified that Mokone's husband was still sitting on the bed when he arrived at the scene. His face was severely disfigured.
La Grange had found the metal bar in a hole in the bed under Mokone's body.
The explosion that killed Mokone was allegedly one of a series forming part of the Boeremag's bid to create chaos and pave the way for a violent rightwing coup.
Planned with military precision
The 22 accused denied guilt three years ago on 42 charges, including treason, terrorism, sabotage, murder, attempted murder, causing explosions and the illegal possession of explosives, firearms and ammunition.
Self-confessed Boer bomber Deon Crous testified in October 2004 that the explosions were planned with military precision while he and other members of the Boeremag were already on the run from police.
He told the court how he and five of the accused - Herman van Rooyen, Rudi Gouws and the Pretorius brothers Johan, Kobus and Wilhelm - had read from he Bible and prayed before leaving on their bombing mission late in October 2002.
They had even named the 10 bombs after their wives and girlfriends.
Crous said one group had planted bombs at a bridge and railway line in Soweto and the other at a railway line, mosque and a taxi rank.
They fled to KwaZulu-Natal after the bombings.
He said they were glad when they heard the bombs had exploded and regarded the death of a woman in the process as "paying for her sins".
Crous said the group had afterwards hidden at the farms and houses of supporters and manufactured more explosives with fertiliser supplied by a supporters.
He said Herman van Rooyen was adamant that they should continue making explosives.
Allegedly had a massive car bomb
Crous later heard that Van Rooyen had been involved in bomb explosions at Grand Central Airport and a bridge at Port Edward.
They also talked about using car bombs and once discussed making shrapnel bombs "to put in shopping centres and on the streets".
Crous was on his way to Marabastad in Pretoria - allegedly with a massive car bomb - when he was arrested.
The trial continues.
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
No extra security for Boeremag 04/05/2006 13:42 - (SA)
Pretoria - The accused in the Boeremag treason trial would not be treated any differently and no extra security measures would be taken after the escape of two prisoners.
Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour announced this on Thursday.
Balfour was to visit Pretoria's C-Max Prison to assure himself about the security and the conditions under which the remaining accused were being kept.
Herman van Rooyen, 33, and Rudi Gouws, 28, went missing during the lunch hour recess of the treason trial at Pretoria High Court on Wednesday. There were 20 other accused still in custody.
Balfour said: "There is no reason to increase security. They did not escape from a security complex, it happened at court."
Inmates escape 'under cops watch'
He said the remaining 20 being held would be treated in the same way as other prisoners. "There will be no more or no less focus on them."
Balfour said the two had escaped under the police's watch, not that of his department.
He said: "I want to make it clear that it was not my people who took the Boeremag trialists to court."
He said he received phone calls from people asking him why correctional services let the two escape, and had to explain they were under police supervision when they escaped.
He said that he didn't have all the details of the escape, but pleaded to judges not to ask officials to remove the hand and feet cuffs of prisoners.
Balfour said: "If it was us or if it was the police... we know the risk profile of the people we take care of. Some are highly dangerous.
"I hope the police get those two guys back. They must face the music like anyone else."
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
You have 10 days to find Boeremag duo' 04/05/2006 22:27 - (SA)
# Court sees gruesome pictures
Pretoria - The judge hearing the treason trial in Pretoria High Court, from where two Boeremag accused escaped on Wednesday, has given police 10 days in which to find the pair.
Herman van Rooyen, 33, alleged to be the man bankrolling the organisation, and Rudi Gouws, 28, escaped from the court holding cells during the lunch break.
Van Rooyen apparently has access to a R40m inheritance. He was arrested in Pretoria in December 2002 in a bakkie rigged with 384kg of explosives and two bags of nuts and bolts for shrapnel.
Judge Eben Jordaan gave no indication on Thursday how the escape would influence the trial of the 20 accused still in custody.
He postponed the case to May 15 to give police a chance to catch Van Rooyen and Gouws.
Director Sally de Beer, national police spokesperson said: "We have set up a task team to look for them, but there are no new developments yet."
Police set up hotline
More than 24 hours after Herman van Rooyen and Rudi Gouws disappeared from the court, it seems police are no closer to catching them.
De Beer said police had set up a hotline - 073 650 7502 - for anyone who might have seen the men or know where they are. She said, however: "We warn people not to confront these two as they are considered dangerous."
She said they might have disguised themselves after their pictures had been published in Thursday's newspapers. Henri Boshoff, an analyst at the Institute for Security Studies, said police would question and possibly watch friends and family of the two escaped men.
He said the two escapees would have to choose between lying low for a while or fleeing across the border.
"The questions are: do they have support and who would hide them?"
Boshoff said it was possible for the escapees to cross the border, but they would need people who sympathised with their cause to help them.
"You can walk across some parts of the border between here and Mozambique, for example, but what do you do when you are there? Someone would have to talk you and someone would have to receive you," he said.
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
The last time Sunita Gouws spoke to her brother, escaped Boeremag accused Rudi Gouws, 28, was an hour and a half before his dash for freedom - and that was to tell him that his biltong and jerseys would be ready for him on Friday.
Rudi Gouws, along with fellow accused Herman van Rooyen, disappeared from under the noses of heavily armed police on Wednesday when they simply vanished from the Pretoria High Court where they are standing trial for murder and treason, among other crimes.
A countrywide manhunt involving Interpol has been launched for the two, who police claim are extremely dangerous and should be avoided.
'He is not a dangerous man as police claim and would never hurt anyone' "If my brother was so dangerous why was he not handcuffed? Why was he allowed to roam freely around the courthouse and allowed to make telephone calls during tea and lunchtime breaks?" Sunita Gouws asked, saying her brother was a kind, caring man and not a manic monster as portrayed by some.
"He is a person who laughs, cries and loves just like you or I."
Gouws said her brother would often tell her how he craved to be on a farm doing what he did best. "He could not wait for the trial to be over and to be released. He hated being cooped up in a cell, especially as he is 'plaas seuntjie' (farm boy)," Gouws said.
She said she was shocked at the escape, especially since she had spoken to him barely two hours before he fled.
"He never once mentioned it when he telephoned on Wednesday. In fact, all he could talk about was how he desperately needed jerseys because of the cold.
'They must face the music like anyone else' "He also asked about the biltong we were preparing, which I told him would be ready by Friday," Gouws said.
She said the family did not hate the police "as they are simply doing their jobs", but they feared for his safety and were urging him to surrender to his lawyer before any conflict occurred.
"If it is your job to catch someone who does not want to be caught then you will use any means possible, including deadly force.
"He is not a dangerous man as police claim and would never hurt anyone. He would only do something if his life was threatened and then only to protect himself."
Agreeing with her, her father Pieter said: "I do not know what to think. It does not make sense that a man, whose identity is known to all guarding him, can simply vanish. How can a man who is considered extremely dangerous simply slip past all those policemen?
"I strongly believe that something very bad has happened and cannot rule out that there is some sort of police involvement.
"I pray to God that they have skipped the country because if they stay here their lives will be in grave danger," he said.
Herman van Rooyen's father Gerald, a Bela Bela farmer, also said he was worried about his son's safety as he believed the trial was not fair and that this, coupled with the frustrations of not getting bail and being cooped up in a small cell, could be why his son had fled.
He said he had no idea at all that his son was going to escape. His son phoned his (Herman's) wife Nelmarie the day before their escape and arranged for food and items of clothing to be brought to them.
"My daughter-in-law was preparing to leave for Pretoria to take the parcel when we heard that they had escaped. There are many reasons for their escape, but my son often phoned me to complain he was not getting a fair trial. He phoned me this week and said: 'Dad, the judge is now openly on the side of the prosecution'.
"These two walked out of the court with the clothes on their backs. They are not armed. I hope if there is a bloodbath they will have a fighting chance. I am worried about their safety, because I know the police will let 100 criminals walk free just to get hold of two Boeremag members," Van Rooyen said.
Van Rooyen said his son, at the age of 28, had already done a colonel course in the army. "He is a highly trained militarist and I know if he has a reasonable chance, he will not be a pushover for the police."
Van Rooyen said his son was a "good boy" who had been well brought up. "The irony of it all is that he and Gouws were model prisoners. They never gave the police any trouble."
Police Director Sally de Beer said she could not comment on the investigation except to say warrants of arrest had been issued for the men.
"They are on the run after being in prison for three years and it is clear that they do not want to go back.
"Anyone who spots them must leave any confrontation up to the police, who are trained to deal with such situations," she said, adding that the police did not operate on orders to shoot on sight and would not dignify such claims with further responses.
Judge Eben Jordaan on Wednesday questioned why he was not told of the escape. He said he was sitting in chambers working, when the Deputy Judge President, Jerry Shongwe, phoned him and told him about it. "I told him his information must be wrong. I know nothing about it."
Shongwe later phoned back, he said, and confirmed the escape. "He asked me why the police or counsel had not told me about it. I still owe him an answer, because I do not have one," the judge said.
Piet Pistorius, who represents the two escapees, said he only got wind of it when the media phoned him for comment.
Jordaan postponed the case to May 15. He said this was to give the police "a fair chance" to find the missing men. Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour yesterday emphasised that the men had escaped under the police's watch, not that of his department.
"I want to make it clear that it was not my people who took the Boeremag triallists to court," Balfour said.
He said he did not have all the details of the escape, but pleaded with judges not to ask officials to remove the shackles from prisoners.
"If it was us or if it was the police ... we know the risk profile of the people we take care of. Some are highly dangerous," Balfour said.
Correctional Service officials, he said, often got into trouble if they did not want to remove cuffs from people who were in some cases "highly, highly dangerous".
Wednesday's escape was detrimental to the case and was in no one's interest.
"I hope the police get those two guys back. They must face the music like anyone else," he said.
A dedicated hotline has been established and people with information on the escapees' whereabouts can contact the police on 073 650 7502. __________________
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
Political and security analysts say the escape from custody of two Boeremag members raises concerns over the infiltration by the right wing of the country's security establishment.
But, they say, right-wing activities in the country have declined.
Herman van Rooyen and Rudi Gouws are among 22 Boeremag members facing treason and terrorism charges after a series of bomb blasts in Soweto and Bronkhorstspruit five years ago.
'They are fragmented all over the place' They disappeared on Wednesday when the other accused, who are in custody, returned to the dock after lunch. During their daring escape, they evaded 40 heavily armed guards.
Hennie Boshoff, a security researcher at the Institute for Security Studies, said police had been successful in curbing Boeremag activities.
He said security agencies were in control of the situation.
"I don't think they will reorganise. The two are just common prison escapees who will have to hide.
"Remember that after the arrests of the Boeremag members in 2001 the bombings suddenly stopped - an indication that the police destroyed their activities," said Boshoff.
He said there was no widespread support for right-wing activities in the country.
"Even though there could be sympathy towards them in the Afrikaner community, Afrikaners do not support their violent activities.
"Therefore, the violent potential of right-wing activities has actually diminished.
"When Eugene Terre'Blanche was released from jail, he never got actively involved in politics," he said.
Boshoff said their escape should rather raise alarm over the rate of escapes from prison and the lack of proper security.
Dirk Kotze, a senior political science lecturer at Unisa, said right-wing extremism was neutralised when political parties such as the Freedom Front Plus and the Democratic Alliance opted for parliamentary politics instead of violence.
"A lot of Afrikaner right-wing members are disillusioned with politics and they want to go on with their lives or look for other alternatives.
"This has neutralised those with a potential to destabilise the country," said Kotze.
But he said there were isolated factions of individual extremists as a lunatic fringe of the right.
"They are fragmented all over the place. They are extremely dangerous but they don't have the capacity to carry out violence, and they don't have leadership support because people like (retired military general and former leader of the Freedom Front) Constand Viljoen are out of the picture," he said.
But Kotze said if the fugitives were assisted from the inside, then it was cause for concern.
"This means there are still right-wingers in sensitive (government) positions," he said.
This was echoed by independent political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi, who said: "The fact that they were able to escape so easily shows support and plan.
"If the plan was hatched from outside and inside the prison we have to worry because this means elements of Boeremag are still active and pose a potential threat."
Police Director Sally de Beer confirmed police were looking at the possibility that the fugitives could have been assisted in their escape.
o This article was originally published on page 4 of Pretoria News on May 05, 200
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
Right wing no threat, say experts May 05 2006 at 10:57AM By Moshoeshoe Monare Political and security analysts say the escape from custody of two Boeremag members raises concerns over the infiltration by the right wing of the country's security establishment. But, they say, right-wing activities in the country have declined. Herman van Rooyen and Rudi Gouws are among 22 Boeremag members facing treason and terrorism charges after a series of bomb blasts in Soweto and Bronkhorstspruit five years ago. 'They are fragmented all over the place' They disappeared on Wednesday when the other accused, who are in custody, returned to the dock after lunch. During their daring escape, they evaded 40 heavily armed guards. Hennie Boshoff, a security researcher at the Institute for Security Studies, said police had been successful in curbing Boeremag activities. He said security agencies were in control of the situation. "I don't think they will reorganise. The two are just common prison escapees who will have to hide. "Remember that after the arrests of the Boeremag members in 2001 the bombings suddenly stopped - an indication that the police destroyed their activities," said Boshoff. He said there was no widespread support for right-wing activities in the country. "Even though there could be sympathy towards them in the Afrikaner community, Afrikaners do not support their violent activities. "Therefore, the violent potential of right-wing activities has actually diminished. "When Eugene Terre'Blanche was released from jail, he never got actively involved in politics," he said. Boshoff said their escape should rather raise alarm over the rate of escapes from prison and the lack of proper security. Dirk Kotze, a senior political science lecturer at Unisa, said right-wing extremism was neutralised when political parties such as the Freedom Front Plus and the Democratic Alliance opted for parliamentary politics instead of violence. "A lot of Afrikaner right-wing members are disillusioned with politics and they want to go on with their lives or look for other alternatives. "This has neutralised those with a potential to destabilise the country," said Kotze. But he said there were isolated factions of individual extremists as a lunatic fringe of the right. "They are fragmented all over the place. They are extremely dangerous but they don't have the capacity to carry out violence, and they don't have leadership support because people like (retired military general and former leader of the Freedom Front) Constand Viljoen are out of the picture," he said. But Kotze said if the fugitives were assisted from the inside, then it was cause for concern. "This means there are still right-wingers in sensitive (government) positions," he said. This was echoed by independent political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi, who said: "The fact that they were able to escape so easily shows support and plan. "If the plan was hatched from outside and inside the prison we have to worry because this means elements of Boeremag are still active and pose a potential threat." Police Director Sally de Beer confirmed police were looking at the possibility that the fugitives could have been assisted in their escape. o This article was originally published on page 4 of Pretoria News on May 05, 200
Boeremag escapee's sister 'being followed' Graeme Hosken May 09 2006 at 12:16PM
The family of one of the two Boeremag escapees has claimed that police are harassing them and say their home has been broken into.
Rudi Gouws, 28, and Herman van Rooyen, 33, who are accused of murder, treason and terrorism, escaped from under the noses of police at the Pretoria High Court during the lunch recess in the trial last Wednesday.
On Monday, Van Rooyen's sister, Liezel, claimed police had been following her since Friday.
"On Friday, I was followed home from work and on Saturday I spotted the same person following me in a different car," she said.
Also on Saturday, her family, who had been out for the day, discovered that their home computer had been tampered with.
"We believe that investigators in my brother's escape case were looking for clues to his whereabouts," she said.
o This article was originally published on page 5 of Pretoria News on May 09, 2006
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
Boeremag duo make Interpol's red list 10/05/2006 18:13 - (SA)
Johannesburg - The two escaped Boeremag treason trial accused have been placed on Interpol's 'red notice' list as well as Interpol's international data base for wanted fugitives, police said on Wednesday.
Herman van Rooyen and Rudi Gouws disappeared from the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday last week. They were on trial with 20 others on treason, terrorism, murder and other charges.
"The two are now internationally regarded as fugitives from justice on murder and terrorism-related charges," said Director Sally De Beer.
"The purpose of the "red notice" is to seek the arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition."
This, she explained, meant that if Gouws or Van Rooyen attempted to enter, or were detected in any of Interpol's 184 member countries, they would be arrested and extradited for prosecution.
Police on Thursday last week installed a hotline for people with information on the whereabouts of the two.
However on Tuesday, a man was arrested after supplying police with information. Leon van Rensburg, 61, was arrested on charges of fraud and defeating the ends of justice for having supplied false information to police.
"His arrest is a clear indication that the South African Police Service will not tolerate persons wasting our time and resources by making hoax calls and knowingly supplying false information."
Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour meanwhile said the remaining accused would not be treated any differently and no extra security measures would be taken.
"There will be no more or no less focus on them."
Judge Eben Jordaan has postponed the case to May 15 to give police a chance to catch the escapees.
The hotline number for people with information on the escapees is 073 650 7502.
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
Boeremag duo 'will make it' 08/05/2006 10:14 - (SA)
Virginia Kepler and Liela Magnus, Beeld
Pretoria - "I won't suggest to the children that they hand themselves over. They must remain outside as long as possible," Marie van Rooyen, mother of escaped Boeremag member Herman van Rooyen, said on Sunday.
Van Rooyen and Rudi Gouws escaped from the Pretoria High Court cells on Wednesday.
The two are standing trial with 20 other men on charges of high treason, terrorism and murder, among others.
The group allegedly planned to topple the government by means of violence.
Gerald van Rooyen said on Sunday he was sure his son and Gouws would be able to survive in the veld. "I trust their abilities because they're grown men who've been working out in prison and they're big and well-muscled."
'Dream to be free again'
"They have been locked up in a small space for three years and the fight against the government has hardened them. It was their dream to be free again, and I trust they will make it."
Marie van Rooyen said their only concern at the moment was that their daughter, Liezel, 25, was being followed by police. "Liezel earlier worked at the court where Herman escaped.
"She (Liezel) said police changed their registration numbers and that she'd noticed them in the complex where she lives," she said.
Van Rooyen said they were in regular contact with Gouws's parents. Everybody hoped that the men were safe.
Search continues
The men haven't yet tried to contact their families, they said. "They're smarter than that, and they know they'll suffer if they are captured."
National police spokesperson Sally de Beer said the investigation and search for the two men continued.
Members of the public can call police on 073 650 7502 should they have any information on the men's whereabouts.
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
Pretoria - One of the accused in the Boeremag treason trial on Monday blamed police for the disappearance of two of his co-accused.
Herman van Rooyen and Rudi Gouws disappeared from court during a lunch break two weeks ago.
Police have been searching for the two, and have put them on an Interpol list, but Tom Vorster - one of the accused still in custody - said the police had a hand in their disappearance.
"I think it is the police who have abducted them," he said on Monday when the trial resumed in the Pretoria High Court.
The State objected to Vorster's accusations. He then said he was just thinking aloud and dropped the matter.
Director Sally de Beer, police spokesperson, who attended the trial, told reporters outside the court the accusation was completely untrue. "There have been... unfair allegations about police action since the escape," she said.
One of the claims was that police would shoot the accused when they are found. "We arrested them the first time round without a shot being fired."
De Beer said police was still searching for the two and that a "certain amount" of information was being followed up in all provinces.
The trial was postponed on May 4 to give police a change to re-arrest the two escapees.
On Monday, however, Judge Eben Jordaan ordered that the trial continue without the two being present.
Gouws and Van Rooyen's advocate, Piet Pistorius, said he would continue to represent Gouws at the request of the Legal Aid Board, but that he would not represent Van Rooyen until he was found.
Police presence in the court has been increased with the public required to sit further away from the accused.
__________________
DAAR'S NET EEN PAD OM TE LOOP,EN DIS DIE BOERVOLK SE PAD,SAAM MET DIE SKEPPER
