CIA Assisted in Nelson Mandela's 1962 Arrest

An interview with a former CIA-agent has revealed Nelson Mandela's 1962 arrest was the result of a tip made by the Central Intelligence Agency. The agent, Donald Rickard, made these revelations during an interview with the Sunday Times just prior to his death. Mandela would spend 27 years in prison following his arrest for resisting the apartheid system in South Africa. After his release, Mandela was elected South Africa's first black president.

In 1962, the United States' opinion of Nelson Mandela was much different than what was seen after his passing. Mandela was the leader of the African National Congress and was not only considered a communist, but a terrorist as well. Despite being elected to lead South Africa in 1994, he wasn't removed from the U.S. watch list until 2008.

These revelations show how differently people felt about the man who fought systemic segregation a few decades ago. President Ronald Reagan in particular was a fierce opponent of pressuring South Africa to release Mandela."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36296551

Adam Poklop