Vericola
Vericola, according its chief executive Rebecca Todd, is a "business risk management company" offering a "bespoke" service to clients "regarding potential threats" to their businesses. [1]
Contents
Energy giants hire private security firm to infiltrate campaigners
According to communications leaked to The Guardian,
- the energy giant E.ON, Britain's second-biggest coal producer Scottish Resources Group and Scottish Power, one of the UK's largest electricity-generators, have been paying for the services of a private security firm that has been secretly monitoring activists.[1]
- E.ON said it had hired Vericola and another security firm, Global Open, on an "ad hoc" basis as its executives wanted to know when environmentalists were going to demonstrate at or invade its power stations and other premises, as they had done in the past.[1]
Revolving door between undercover policing and the private spying business
A leaked email revealed Vericola's information was destined for Gordon Irving, revealed The Guardian. Gordon Irving, security director of Scottish Power, joined the firm in 2001 after 30 years in Strathclyde Police where he was head of special branch. [2]
Privately, senior officers claim there are "without question" more corporate spies embedded in the protest movement than police officers. Among their number are former police officers cashing in on their surveillance skills for a host of companies that target protesters, relays the Guardian.[2] The same article goes on to relate
- The company best-known for monitoring protest groups is Global Open, founded a decade ago by Rod Leeming, a former special branch officer who in the late 1990s ran the Animal Rights National Index (ARNI), a clandestine Metropolitan police unit monitoring activists.Global Open claims to have more than 90 clients and maintains "a discreet watch" on protest groups that could damage a firm's reputation. It is understood to have offered to employ several ex-police officers, including the undercover police officer Mark Kennedy, who said he was hired by Rod Leeming as a private investigator last year. Leeming previously claimed never to have met or employed Kennedy.[2]
Company details
COMPANY DETAILS: VERICOLA LIMITED WOODLANDS BOURNE LANE HAM STREET ASHFORD KENT TN26 2HH Company No. 06555264 Rebecca Todd lists on administrative restoration form: Mobile = (0)7944 896138 Status: Active Date of Incorporation: 04/04/2008 Applied to be struck off register (presumably for not actively trading): 04/08/2009 Company dissolved (after 3 months inactive): 17/11/2009 Administrative restoration (starts trading again): 06/01/2010 Company Type: Private Limited Company Nature of Business (SIC): 7460 – Investigation & security 7487 – Other business activities Accounting Reference Date: 30/04 Last Accounts Made Up To: 30/04/2009 (TOTAL EXEMPTION SMALL) Next Accounts Due: 31/01/2011 Last Return Made Up To: 04/04/2009 Next Return Due: 02/05/2010 Accountants (see separate wiki entry): HMN Accountants, Woodlands, Bourne Lane, Hamstreet, Ashford, Kent. TN26 2HH Company no: 05629237 Appointments Record lists Rebecca Louise Todd as Director, Ian David Howes is a secretary of Vericola. Rebecca Todd is sole shareholder.
Contact Vericola
- Rebecca Todd
- CEO
- Vericola Ltd
- 07944896138
- rt@vericola.com [3]
Investigation
In order to establish which groups were targeted and to what extent, we propose to compile information on Vericola’s activities. Should you have had any contact, however brief, in person or email with Vericola’s employees, please contact us at tactics@riseup.net
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Rob Evans and Paul Lewis Revealed: how energy firms spy on environmental activists The Guardian,14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Paul Lewis and Rob Evans Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranksThe Guardian, 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11
- ↑ Indymedia Website Spying company, Vericola Ltd, uncovered after incompetence,Indymedia, 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11
