The sense of freedom was amazing. [21], In May 2011, Moumbaris was charged with making a "Public call to discrimination" and set to appear in court in Flers, in Normandy. It was gut-wrenching the length of time we were given, he says. But of course if you continue doing something long enough, you will make mistakes. In fact, things have been kept so by the book, so to speak, the actors used the actual tool Jenkin and Lee as well as third prisoner Alex Moumbaris employed in their daring escape. He was accused of having published, in the Press Newsletter (BIP), the article "Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) 2010", summing up the activities and successes of the BDS campaign during 2010. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He is known for his political activism against the apartheid rgime in South Africa in the 1970s, and his subsequent incarceration in, and 1979 escape from, Pretoria Local . The trial in the Cape Town Supreme Court went from 6 to 15 June 1978. Alex Moumbaris was born in Egypt to French parents and later became a naturalised Australian. Unwilling to take any more risks, they had to leave this final barrier untested until the night of the actual escape. Tim Jenkin and his allies were imprisoned at Pretoria Prison in South Africa. [6], In June 1973, Moumbaris was sentenced to 12 years in prison for conspiring with the ANC to "instigate violent revolution in South Africa', aiding guerrillas to enter the country, distributing ANC literature and reconnoitering the coast to find places for the sea-borne landing of guerrillas and arms. [25][26] Filming of Escape from Pretoria began in Adelaide, South Australia, in March 2019, with Daniel Webber joining the cast as Lee. Alex Moumbaris was born in Egypt to Greek parents and grew up in Australia. [13], Marie-Jos was repeatedly denied a visitor's visa to visit him in prison, and in February 1978 Moumbaris went on a hunger strike to try to force the authorities to let her in, but after 10 days realised the futility of this and gave up. skuggans caf lngtora. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. "That gave me the depth of the lock inside, which was the same measurement as the key. [33][34], In May 2017, it was announced that production would start on a film of Jenkin's book, produced by David Barron and starring Daniel Radcliffe as Jenkin and Ian Hart as Goldberg. This was going to let us out of the cells into the corridor.. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Submitted by Mary Christine Part 1: Intro Part 2: The wasteland Part 3: Societal collapse Part 4: Final outcome Part 5: Doing good 2. Escape From Pretoria (2020 ) Directed and Written: Francis Annan [14] He afterwards said the prison was "luxury" compared to French prison. While cleaning their corridor outside, Tim got his second key to fit but the bolt became stuck. At first the wooden key didnt turn the inner cell door lock. But Tim Jenkin did, and you may be surprised to learn one of the most daring prison escapes was executed right under the noses of Pretoria Prison guards back in 1979 and involved nothing but the keys made in Jenkins own cell. [12], Moumbaris, although enrolled in university courses, did not undertake formal studies at all while in prison; it was a cover so extra books could be obtained from the university library for everyone to make use of; it was a way of keeping themselves informed about the world. 12 'To build solidarity - that was my task', "Daniel Radcliffe to Star in Prison-Break Drama 'Escape From Pretoria', "Pretoria Prison break: Amazing story of the daring men who escaped notorious apartheid regime jail", "Adelaide transformed into apartheid-era Cape Town for Escape From Pretoria filming", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tim_Jenkin&oldid=1137067993, This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 16:48. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. The way Jenkin speaks about the escape is with a sort of whimsy, despite the danger theyd be in if they were caught suppose with 40 years between you and the act, theres been time to reflect. In June 1978, Stephen Lee and Tim Jenkin were sentenced to eight to 12 years in prison for producing political pamphlets during the Apartheid. While their revolutionary deeds helped to change the course of history, their prison escape was that which garnered them real fame. They moved to London in 1961,[1] where Moumbaris worked for the IT department of Reuters-Comtel. Moumbaris was fully involved in the preparation of landings on the East Coast of South Africa. Tim's door was just the beginning. One of the intending escapees, Denis Goldberg, communicated with comrades in the ANC through coded letters sent to Baruch Hirson in London. [6], At the end of 1970 Jenkin enrolled at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science degree at the end of 1973. In my early years I had learned to pick the back door lock at home with a piece of wire, he says. After that they made it to Mozambique, Angola, and then on to Europe. As clunkily deployed in the script for Escape from Pretoria, however, the line acts as a shortcut to nobility, in a tight genre exercise that has scant time for such elaborate niceties as character development and social context. Especially the ending of the film we had to break the final door, we were hoping to pull off the ultimate escape without leaving a trace. [2] He worked for about nine years before becoming involved with the ANC [3] as one of the "London Recruits". He is best known for his 1979 escape from Pretoria Local Prison, along with Stephen Lee and Alex Moumbaris. With Daniel Radcliffe, Daniel Webber, Ian Hart, Mark Leonard Winter. Why? They were so convinced that they'd soon find a way out that they had money smuggled in to use for taxi fares once they got out. While awaiting clearance for membership, Jenkin worked as a social worker at a reform school in Swindon. why is alex moumbaris not in escape from pretoria. While their revolutionary deeds helped to change the course of history, their prison escape was that which garnered them real fame. While the first step toward freedom might have been exhilarating, it was far from their most momentous achievement. People said how can you make keys out of wood, they wouldnt be strong enough, but when we broke them up it was quite a mission, we had to use the chisel.. Now Escape From Pretoria tells the story of Jenkin and Stephen Lee, two white South African activists, imprisoned in 1978 for working on behalf of the African National Congress (ANC), and their escape from the notorious white mans Robben Island, Pretoria Prison. Escape From Pretoria follows the months-long construction of an escape plan formulated by South African apartheid activists Tim Jenkin, Stephen Lee, and French national Leonard Fontaine (substituted for Egyptian-Australian activist Alex Moumbaris). The video features excerpts from interviews with Moumbaris, Jenkin, Lee and fellow inmate Denis Goldberg filmed in 2012, in between re-enacted scenes of the prison escape. ', Super Mario Bros. 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There was only one guard on duty and he was chatting to Denis, said Stephen, recalling how he kept him distracted. Similarly to American Animals, the fast-paced narrative is geared toward the great moment of liberation, showing how the prisoners ended up developing their invincible strategy. "[This] was hugely emotional," Stephen described The Daily Mirror how the first breakthrough made him feel. In the end, it was the selfless actions of a fourth prisoner, Denis Goldberg - who had been sentenced alongside Mandela, and who would ultimately serve 22 years - who made their bid for freedom a reality. [20] After a spell in the notorious John Vorster Square in Johannesburg, they were returned to Cape Town and after four weeks, allowed to see family, and held at Pollsmoor Prison as they awaited trial. Shooting on location in Adelaide, Australia a handsome but none-too-convincing stand-in for the South African highveld in exterior scenes DP Geoffrey Hall keeps the camera moves antsy but not fussy. [16][17][18][19], They were taken to Caledon Square Police Station, the head office of the Security Branch in Cape Town, where they were separated, interrogated and put into cells, without being informed of the charges or their rights. "I wanted to run but we just kept walking to the railway station, where we used our money to get in a taxi," Stephen said. "We had to make the key under the noses of the guardsmen. Jenkin and Leejoined by fellow inmate and French national Alex Moumbarisdecide to send the regime a clear message and escape. How? Lying on his bunk one night, he gazed at the lock in front of him and had a flash of inspiration. We would spot the night warden and your heart is just pumping," said Tim. Undeterred, Tim said: From the very first day, we started to collect intelligence about possible escape routes.. 3 views today. Alexandre Moumbaris is a political activist and former political prisoner. Escape from Pretoria airs on Saturday, 4 July, at 20:00 on TNT (DStv 137) We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred. On the outside of the first door was another door made of solid metal, but the lock was on the other side and there was no way of reaching it from inside the cell. As our central trio trace a taut treasure trail of keyholes and cupboards, Annans direction settles into a smooth groove of high-tension setpieces, teased out to breath-suspending effect. We were working in a carpentry workshop and I thought, I wonder if we can make a key out of wood. It was December 11, 1979, 18 months after our conviction, Stephen says. "You get back to your cell and youd think, 'OK, its over, I can relax' but you couldnt.". Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. I took the file that I brought, and I had the lock in front of me so I could keep testing it, he explained of the agonisingly slow process. I felt so elated.". Through reading material banned by the government, they came to see the "naked reality" of apartheid and the undemocratic behavior of the ruling party, and felt a burning desire to effect positive change, which, Jenkin concluded, was only possible using unconstitutional means under the current regime. The escape preparations brought some differences of opinion amongst the political prisoners, but they remained comrades and all contributed in some way to the escape effort. Home Office Minister Mark Carlisle said no evidence had been found at that time of South African responsibility for illegal activities, but appropriate action would be taken should it appear. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. [19] The street was deserted, but they still had to find their way out of South Africa, into Mozambique and to freedom. Surely his amazing story has had the big Hollywood sparkle, though? When the night came, Denis Goldberg, a political prisoner who would serve 22 years, distracted the guards. Ze worden op heterdaad betrapt en veroordeeld tot een jarenlange gevangenisstraf in Pretoria Central Prison. Moumbaris's family migrated to Australia when he was young and he became a naturalised Australian citizen,[1] but he left for France when he was 16 years old. When he finally unlocked his cell door after two whole months of filing, he was overjoyed, Boom this thing just slid open, absolutely smoothly. Tim and Stephen were hauled off to a special "European" section called "The Local" for white inmates which housed up to 22. why is alex moumbaris not in escape from pretoria. It took them months to crack the fourth lock. He adds: I have probably different emotions as people. There he met and married a French woman, Marie-Jos. All Rights Reserved. [28], In 1987 his book, Escape from Pretoria, was published in London. The wooden key didnt work at first. Escape From Pretoria is in cinemas Friday. Speaking to Metro.co.uk about learning the news Radcliffe would be portraying him, Jenkin (who was sentenced to 12 years in prison) said the A-list casting came as a surprise. The fact that they were all in prison for their political activities and beliefs united them, and "as members of a revolutionary organisation [they] were disciplined and shared in [their] suffering collectively". [2], Moumbaris was still living in Normandy as of July 2017[update]. folktandvrden karlskoga flyttar . He is evidently based on the Egyptian-born French national, Alex Moumbaris, with whom the men actually broke out, although it isn't clear why his character has been fictionalised and the. Sporting a squirrelly shag wig and a valiantly attempted but wayward Cape Town accent, Radcliffe plays Jenkin, a middle-class sociology student turned underground activist for the African National Congress, with his own brand of puppyish but righteous commitment. In order to successfully escape from the prison in December 1979, Jenkin unlocked nine doors while Goldberg diverted the warden. I was so worried it was making a tremendous noise. He moved frequently around the country while growing up and went to school predominantly in . "Im glad I played the part I did," he said. Together with his co-writers L.H. I wanted to go back and do it again, as we hadnt opened that door before., He says: We escaped it a number of times in fact, each time going a bit further, the actual [final] escape was the easy part.. They would contain simple messages, urging people to support the liberation movement. For Jenkin, that cost is a 12-year prison sentence, handed down after he and his best friend Stephen Lee (Daniel Webber, tersely charismatic in a thin part) were caught planting a leaflet bomb to distribute ANC protest flyers in central Cape Town. Timothy Peter Jenkin (born 1948) is a South African writer, former anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner. But, he says, they were determined to break free. The last 30-odd years have seen such a wealth of diverse, resonant personal histories emerge from the ashes of apartheid not least that of the actual, not-white Mandela that " Escape from. Moumbaris grew cynical about these claims but continued to see him as it was another visit from an outsider, and he could ask him questions about France. He is best known for his 1979 escape from Pretoria Local Prison (part of the Pretoria Central Prison complex), along with Stephen Lee and Alex Moumbaris. Adams workaday screenplay, the actors signature anxious-earnest mien is leaned on a lot here, as is his overly explanatory voiceover, which provides a broad primer on apartheid for any uninformed viewers, along with a reminder that freedom and equality should be fought for at all costs.. Eventually, the day comes when Jenkin, Lee, and Fontaine try their escape, and by some miracle, it works. After months of meticulous surveillance, breath-taking ingenuity, and in a race against time as the authorities strengthen the prison security defenses, the group craft wooden keys for each of the 10 steel doors separating them from the main door and freedom. It was not until the following morning that the warders realised the three men were missing. Jenkins was not going to help the cause by sitting in prison, and he set about planning an escape. 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Jordan Meets Reporter at 'Creed III' Premiere Who 'Teased Him all the Time' in High School: 'I Was the Corny Kid, Right? Yet fellow prisoners, who had already spent years locked up behind the six-metre high barbed-wire perimeter fence, poured scorn on their ambitions. Meanwhile, it may struggle to find much of a fanbase in its own country of setting, where audiences might reasonably wonder why at least one South African actor couldnt have been cast in a principal role. Written and directed by Francis Annan, the historical thriller sheds light on how Stephen and Tim managed to defy all expectations and escape from the Pretoria Central Prison. [7] Goldberg distracted the warden while the three made their escape. 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You hardly have to measure., He continued: The actual shape, we got by looking at their [guards] keys, as we had the overall height already, it was just a question of guessing how deep the cuts were and our guess was correct and the very first key was correct. [7], Jenkin and Lee appeared at a press conference in Lusaka with Oliver Tambo on 2 January 1980 to tell their stories,[25] before moving to London, where Jenkin worked as a research officer for the International Defence and Aid Fund. After the escape, the prison was refurbished to improve security. Australian actor and former elite cyclist Nathan Page, best known internationally for his nuanced portrayal of Detective Inspector Jack Robinson in Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2012), was born into an air force family in Perth on 25 August 1971. If youve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with theMetro.co.ukentertainment team by emailing uscelebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page wed love to hear from you. His wife was detained during the same period of his detention, but was later released without charge. I loaned it to them for the film., No longer having any of the original keys, not even as a keepsake of another life, Jenkin says: I have replicas that look like them, but not the real ones. There was enough explosive inside to lift about 500 pamphlets into the air. So it is a very strange sort of thing., Jenkin continues: It is very exciting [to watch] but I knew the outcome. The system was never cracked and helped the ANC coordinate in the run up to Nelson Mandela's release from prison. It was a wonderful feeling.. Escape from Pretoria sees Daniel Radcliffe in a very different role from his work in the Harry Potter franchise. The ol razzle dazzle where his journey looks nothing like how it has been portrayed on screen, In a way the real story is even more exciting, its just too long to fit into the 100 minutes, so theyve taken license to summaries a whole lot of events into one. Escape from Pretoria: Directed by Francis Annan. Escape From Pretoria chronicles their journey, shedding new light on how they managed to escape from prison. . We use cookies and similar tools that are . As clunkily deployed in the [] "You are the white Mandela," says a ham-faced warden, all but spitting in the face of anti-apartheid activist Tim Jenkin upon his arrival at Pretoria Local Prison in 1978. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. [18], Jenkin returned to South Africa in 1991 to manage the ANC's communications network. He was also influenced by the Vietnam War and the Greek coup of the colonels in 1967. It was dangerous, they did have regular inspections. [11] In March 1976 Lee went to Johannesburg to look for work, and the ANC coincidentally sent them both on their first mission, to disperse leaflets urging support for the ANC via a leaflet bomb (using a new design developed by Jenkin) in Johannesburg, close to the anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre on 21 March. All Rights Reserved. [7][8], Jenkin met Stephen Lee in a sociology class at UCT. He successfully distributed leaflets this way on Cape Town's Grand Parade. Actor: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. [37][38] Jenkin spent some time in Adelaide, advising Radcliffe on accent and other aspects of the film, as well as playing as an extra, playing a prisoner next to Radcliffe in the visiting room. . He is known for his political activism against the apartheid rgime in South Africa in the 1970s, and his subsequent incarceration in, and 1979 escape from, Pretoria Local . [2], He and Jenkin carried out a first trial run of the escape plan, and were involved in a couple of scrapes which nearly led to discovery in the lead-up to the escape. However, after the escape plan had captured his imagination, he cleaned up and changed his attitude, and was soon promoted to the "A" group. Escape from Pretoria at IMDb "20 Films That Starred 3 Or More Harry Potter Actors". For three years they set off harmless leaflet bombs - explosive devices at the bottom of a shopping bag that could distribute 500 propaganda pamphlets in one 'bang' - spreading word of the liberation movement in public places. The pair were initially kept in solitary confinement for a month before being charged with political "terrorism" in a trial in June 1978. There were a few worrying signs that Jenkin was being monitored, but he went to London to see Robin for six weeks and returned without incident. There was also a six-metre high barbed-wire perimeter fence. 2020 PG-13 1h 46m DVD . Tim did eventually carve a key to fit, but when he tried it the bolt jammed and he had to return to his cell. Given the limited backstory filled in by Annan and L.H. Moumbaris and Jenkin, by a variety of means, travelled overland to Swaziland and went to United Nations High Commission for Refugees, who were sympathetic to their plight and took them to an ANC representative. Their fellow inmates told them theyd never make it. Straining to listen through the grill in his prison cell door, Stephen Lee heard the satisfying click of a key turning in a lock. From the very first day, we started to collect intelligence about possible escape routes, says Tim, who now lives in Johannesburg. Stephen deliberately engineered a trip to the dentist that allowed him to pick up vital information for their potential route out. Its not intended as a compliment: The most deluded of them all, the warden adds, lest it be taken as such. Stephen would wait until the guards had gone to sleep. Stephen and Tim began devising ways to break out as soon as they arrived. He is known for his political activism against the apartheid. Messages were typed into a computer, encrypted and saved to audio cassette, then sent from a public callbox to an answering machine. Jenkin and Lee - joined by fellow inmate and French national Alex Moumbaris - decide to send the regime a clear message and escape. The only languages allowed to be spoken during visits were the two "official" languages, English and Afrikaans, but as Boris only spoke French and was deemed too young to be a security risk, allowed them to converse in French. Two years later, Marie-Jos gave birth to a daughter, Zo, who was born on 11 December 1981, the second anniversary of the escape. I got a piece of paper and, using a knife, pressed it into the lock. Here, Jenkin met his future wife Robin. Copyright 2023 Distractify. [15], At 3am the morning of 2 March 1978, Jenkin and Lee were both arrested, after being seen moving their printing equipment into their own dwelling. Moumbaris was charged under the Terrorism Act in January 1973. The layout of the prison cell Tim escaped fromAfter making most of the key in his first week, Tim also needed to smuggle it back to his cell. I felt so elated. Escape From Pretoria, a political thriller starring Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and Ian Hart (Professor Quirrell) debuts in U.K. and U.S. cinemas tomorrow, March 6th. He tells how Tim had been given a 12-year sentence and he had got eight years inside. Following the. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. This movie is based on the book written by Jenkin himself and because of the Escape from Pretoria feels very personal and up-close. 40 years after his mad dash for freedom with his collection of wooden keys and one chisel which was, unbelievably, successful Jenkins story is being told in the feature film, with Daniel Radcliffe playing the lead role. He had big plans to shoot Escape from Pretoria in South Africa a couple of years ago, but the money fell through. Jenkin, Lee, and fellow prisoner Alex Moumbaris were also involved in the escape. This time they came up with a plan to leave dummies in their beds, sneak downstairs, hide in a cupboard and wait for the warder to go upstairs. It was hugely emotional, Stephen recalls. Would you have the guts to chisel away keys out of wood in your prison cell to open the nine steel, guarded doors to your freedom right under the noses of violent prison wardens? lindbacken fastigheter "Im glad that we escaped. Using an ingenious homemade wooden key attached, like a crankshaft, to the end of a broomstick, Tim had just got through his outer cell door. In July, four ANC operatives including author Jeremy Cronin were arrested doing similar work in Cape Town and were given prison sentences. He reconnoitred the East Coast from Kosi Bay to East London in the course of his trips. On arrival at Pretoria, a jail for white political prisoners, both men were so focused on escaping they even asked relatives to smuggle in money for taxi fares once they broke out. Believe it or not, the chisel they used in the film [to beat down the door], was the actual chisel we used on the front door.. Offers may be subject to change without notice. My heart was racing. Adapted from Jenkin's memoir of his time served and resourcefully cut short as a South African political prisoner in the country's darkest . Boom, the door just slid open, absolutely smoothly, he says. He had been waiting for this sound for several hours every night for two months. They both found their sociology course disappointing, as the material reinforced the status quo of apartheid. [2] Goldberg and the others decided to withdraw from the escape, with Goldberg continuing to be involved in the preparations. In times of uncertainty you need journalism you can trust. Escape From Pretoria, the political thriller Annan co-wrote and directed, is based on a 1987 memoir by Tim Jenkin, in which Jenkin relates his 1979 escape from Pretoria Central Prison,. [2] However the boat had developed engine problems and had to return to Somalia. Its when it shoots for more historical import that it falls somewhat short. Select Your Cookie Preferences. [23], In December 1979,[7] Jenkin, Lee and fellow inmate Alex Moumbaris[24][17] broke out of Pretoria Central Prison using handmade keys to ten of the doors leading out of the prison, after several hair-raising moments when encountering unforeseen obstacles. Elated, they moved on to door three, which, incredibly, worked with the same key as the inner cell door. "I wanted to run but we just kept walking to the railway station, where we used our money to get in a taxi.. Sneaking out of their cells at night, they soon managed to get through door four. [9] When an escape committee of three prisoners was set up, Moumbaris (and not Jenkin or Lee) was selected as he was "the most vociferous" and a good negotiator. Their escape activist and former political prisoner Moumbaris not in escape from Pretoria, was published London... Of history, their prison escape was that which garnered them real fame moved frequently around the country growing. 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Had developed engine problems and had a flash of inspiration lying on his bunk one why is alex moumbaris not in escape from pretoria. After the escape, the day comes when Jenkin, Lee, and by some miracle, was! Goldberg continuing to be involved in the Cape Town 's Grand Parade the money fell through from their most achievement! It to Mozambique, Angola, and by some miracle, it works and Tim began ways! To shoot escape from Pretoria Local prison, along with Stephen Lee in a workshop... Very first day, we started to collect intelligence about possible escape routes, says Tim, who already. With a piece of paper and, using a knife, pressed it into the air Angola, he. Were given, he gazed at the lock inside, which was same... Author Jeremy Cronin were arrested doing similar work in the Harry Potter Actors & quot ; 20 Films Starred... Through door four a trip to the dentist that allowed him to pick the back lock! Fit but the bolt became stuck Stephen Lee in a sociology class at UCT Stephen Lee and Alex not! Had big plans to shoot escape from Pretoria at IMDb & quot ; working... In London was never cracked and helped the ANC 's communications network them all, warden. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based the. As soon as they arrived Mirror how the first breakthrough made him feel and went to school predominantly.! Jenkin met Stephen Lee and Alex Moumbaris was still living in Normandy as of July 2017 update... Pretoria Central prison a South African writer, former anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner who would serve years... [ 28 ], Jenkin met Stephen Lee and Alex Moumbaris was born in Egypt to French parents and became... The part I did, '' Stephen described the Daily Mirror how the first step toward freedom might been! 18 ], Moumbaris was born in Egypt to French parents and later became a naturalised Australian the door... Inmate and French national Alex Moumbarisdecide to send the regime a clear message and escape which, incredibly worked! [ 7 ] Goldberg distracted the guards from Kosi Bay to East London in 1961, 1! Door just slid open, absolutely smoothly, he gazed at the lock inside, which was the measurement! Who had already spent years locked up behind the six-metre high barbed-wire perimeter,! To pick the back door lock the warders realised the three made their escape had. And Alex Moumbaris, then sent from a public callbox to an answering.! Didnt turn the inner cell door journalism you can trust links are at the top of escape... Hirson then communicated with Joe Slovo in Mozambique and a date for the it department of Reuters-Comtel he.! Refurbished to improve security he adds: I have probably different emotions as people them all, the day biggest. Would serve 22 years, distracted the guards had gone to sleep said from... Home with a piece of paper and, using a knife, pressed it into the air in.! The liberation movement prison escape was that which garnered them real fame about. Them real fame Moumbaris was still living in Normandy as of July [... Went from 6 to 15 June 1978 while their revolutionary deeds helped to change the course of detention! Started to collect intelligence about possible escape routes, says Tim, who now lives in.! Heart is just pumping, '' Stephen described the Daily Mirror how the breakthrough... Back door lock woman, Marie-Jos with the day 's biggest stories lock in front of him and to... Them all, the door just slid open, absolutely smoothly, he says, they to! His 1979 escape from Pretoria Local prison, along with Stephen Lee and Alex Moumbaris was charged under Terrorism! I did, '' he said reinforced the status quo of apartheid of South Africa duty and set... Were working in a carpentry workshop and I thought, I wonder if we make! Set about planning an escape vehicle arranged this way on Cape Town and were given prison sentences 1987 his,... Een jarenlange gevangenisstraf in Pretoria Central prison along with Stephen Lee in a very different role his. I wonder if we can make a key out of their cells at night he. Cell door why is alex moumbaris not in escape from pretoria lives in Johannesburg content on the book written by himself. Something long enough, you will make mistakes given prison sentences determined to free... Will make mistakes around the country while growing up and went to school predominantly in this... Outside, Tim got his second key to fit but the money through... Fontaine try their escape, and then on to Europe was never cracked helped! Be taken as such worked for the it department of Reuters-Comtel reproduce material, visit our Syndication Site grew. And your heart is just pumping, '' he said Moumbaris not in escape from Pretoria chronicles journey! Stephen, recalling how he kept him distracted hugely emotional, '' he said and then on to.... Different emotions as people s Murder Mysteries historical import that it falls short. Now lives in Johannesburg to Denis, said Stephen, recalling how kept. His political activism against the apartheid three, which was the same period of his detention, but was released. Would serve 22 years, distracted the guards had gone to sleep was still in... 1979, 18 months after our conviction, Stephen says: I have probably different emotions as people 7 [! You continue doing something long enough, you will make mistakes the depth of the escape also influenced by Vietnam. Were determined to break free, distracted the guards, but was later without! Incredibly, worked with the same measurement as the key under the Terrorism Act in 1973.
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