ArmorGroup
ArmorGroup International is a British private security company previously chaired by former foreign secretary and defence minister Sir Malcolm Rifkind. It originally began operations in 1981 as Defence Systems Limited (DSL) and was acquired by Armor Holdings Inc in 1997. It was later bought out by G4S in April 2008.
It has 38 offices in 27 countries, including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Colombia, Lebanon, Nigeria and Sudan, and is one of the biggest one of the biggest companies working in Iraq.
Contents
Iraq
It is 'one of two companies that have raked in a total of 15m between them' providing round-the-clock security in Iraq during 2003-4.[1] According to Jack Straw ArmorGroup and Control Risks were being paid a combined total of £50,000 a day to protect bureaucrats stationed in Iraq.[2] This included a £876,000 contract to supply 20 security guards for the Foreign Office - a figure that was to rise by 50 per cent in July 2004.[3]
The firm employs more than 1400 mercenaries in Iraq, including 700 Gurkhas who guard executives with the US firms Bechtel and Kellogg Brown & Root. The Gurkhas reportedly earn $1300 a month. Employees also guard construction sites for Bechtel and deal with unexploded ordnance across Iraq.
The firm raised eyebrows when it was discovered that Derek Adgey, one of its employees, had been jailed in the past for helping the Ulster Freedom Fighters.[4]
Phoenix
Sold to ArmorGroup in 2005 for £4m Phoenix CP was founded five years earlier by former SAS men Jim Devenney and Michael Clifford, the only SAS member to be awarded the OBE for his services to that regiment. With Devnney retired the company was run by Clifford.[5] According to its website it is the UK’s leading specialist provider of close protection training to security professionals and military personnel as part of resettlement courses.[6]
It has trained men and women for the commercial sector since 2000 and holds preferred supplier status with the Ministry of Defence for Armed Forces’ resettlement training. Its website says that Phoenix-trained personnel are highly sought after and deployed on a wide variety of close protection assignments throughout the world (wherever ArmorGroup operates).
Based in Hereford the company works closely with military resettlement organisations and is registered with the Department of Education and Skills and can therefore accept students taking advantage of Career Development Loans or other government led initiatives.[7]
People
- Michael Clifford OBE [8]
Resources
ArmorGroup North America | G4S | Group 4 Falck | Securicor
Resources
- Alec Klein, For Security in Iraq, a Turn to British Know-How, Washington Post, 24 August 2007.
- Inquest into the death of Paul McGuigan in Iraq, begins on Tuesday 29 September 2014', Press release, Deighton Guedalla and Pierce Glynn Solicitors' website,
Notes
- ↑ Brian Brady Former foreign minister cashes in on Iraq crisis, Scotland on Sunday, Published Date: 23 May 2004
- ↑ Brian Brady Former foreign minister cashes in on Iraq crisis, Scotland on Sunday, Published Date: 23 May 2004
- ↑ Robert Fisk and Severin Carrell Occupiers Spend Millions on Private Army of Security Men, The Independent, March 28, 2004
- ↑ Matthew Tempest Rifkind made head of Iraq security firm, guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 13 April 2004 14.38 BST, accessed 7 September 2009
- ↑ 'It was a tough nut to crack but we've made £4m' Western Daily Press 19 November 2005 SECTION: News; Other; Others; Pg. 8
- ↑ Phoenix CP Homepage, Archived version of <http://www.phoenixcp.com/index.htm> dated 16 March 2005, accessed 7 September 2009
- ↑ Phoenix CP Homepage, Archived version of <http://www.phoenixcp.com/index.htm> dated 16 March 2005, accessed 7 September 2009
- ↑ [1]
