C2i International
C2i International is a 'special risk management' and 'investigation company'.[1] According to Companies House, in April 2009 it changed its name to Lynceus (Consulting) Limited.[2], which also shares chief executive Justin King of Lynceus as its founder. Interestingly C2i retains a website, which has been registered since 2006 to Justin King at Lynceus' London address. [3]
Contents
Background
According to The Guardian in 2008:
- Security firms that offer spying services are very reserved when it comes to describing their products and C2i International is no exception. The company describes itself as a "special risk management" business, a common euphemism in its trade. C2i was founded by Justin King who, according to the company's website, was a helicopter pilot in the special forces, and is trained to "British police special operations standards" in surveillance and counter-espionage. From its offices a few hundred metres from Oxford Street in London's West End, the firm offers services in "business protection". However, the Plane Stupid incident is unlikely to join the list of case studies on its website. Examples of C2i's work include providing round-the-clock protection to a foreign company working in Russia and upgrading personal security for the president of a Mexican bank. The company claims it works closely with clients to understand their "unique threatscape" and that the security firm has experience of protecting aviation businesses from external threats. C2i also lists the aerospace industry as one of the industries that has benefited from its expertise in the past.Cite error: Closing
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C2i's founder, Justin King, claims to be an expert in surveillance and counter-espionage who has flown helicopters for the special forces. C2i has said Kendall was operating on his own.[4]
Energy companies exposed hiring private security firm Vericola
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, revealed Indymedia. A statement on Indymedia claims Rebecca Todd is a former employee of C2i International, a private security and intelligence gathering firm best known for their employment of Toby Kendall / Ken Tobias who attempted to infiltrate Plane Stupid. She has since struck out on her own to set up her own company, Vericola Ltd.[5] It was at C2i that Todd appears to have learned her trade before setting up Vericola in 2008, claims The Guardian. Todd's lawyers declined to comment on whether she had worked for C2i, but she is listed by a professional association as being employed the company. They denied Vericola conducts corporate spying or "infiltration", saying instead that Todd gathers information from publicly available sources such as mailing lists or open websites. "Our client has not obtained any confidential information nor has she been guilty of any dishonesty," they said.[6] However, both Indymedia and The Guardian claim to have evidence with demonstrates that Vericola agents were attending activist meetings in person.[5]
Transferable skills and alliances: police and private security industry
Questions have been raised regarding the ethics of "former police officers cashing in on their surveillance skills for a host of companies that target protesters".[7] See the Powerbase overview of the revolving door between the private security industry and the police.
Stephen Beels, a former Scotland Yard detective who is Head of Operations at private security company Lynceus [8] also worked for C2i International.[9] Justin King's previous work in the special forces is another example of this pattern.
Contact, References and Resources
Contact
- 21 Berners Street
- London W1T 3LP
- Tel: +44 (0)20 7323 6630
- Fax: +44 (0)20 7323 6635
- Former website: www.c2i-international.com
- Current website: http://c2i-response.com [3]
Resources
Notes
- ↑ John Vidal and Dan Milmo, Mystery over who hired mole to dig dirt on Plane Stupid's environment activists, Guardian, 9 April 2008
- ↑ Companies House, Lynceus (Consulting) Limited, accessed 1 March 2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Whois.com, Domain: c2i-response.com, Registrant email:justin.king@lynceus.co.uk
- ↑ Paul Lewis and Rob Evans Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranksThe Guardian, 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Indymedia UK Spying company, Vericola Ltd, uncovered after incompetence,Indymedia website, 14/02/11, accessed 25/02/11
- ↑ Paul Lewis and Rob Evans Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranksThe Guardian, 14/02/11, accessed 24/02/11
- ↑ Paul Lewis and Rob Evans Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranks The Guardian, 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11
- ↑ LinkedIn, Stephen Beels, accessed 1 March 2011
- ↑ Scribd, ASIS Spring 2008 Newsletter - new members,p.10, accessed 1 March 2011
