Difference between revisions of "Aegis Defence Services"
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | Based in London, the company was founded by former Scots Guard [[Tim Spicer]] who made headlines with the [[Sandline affair]] when he was caught shipping 30 tons of arms to Sierra Leone in apparent violation of a UN weapons embargo and arrested in the abortive coup in Papua New Guinea. One of his friends, the ex-SAS officer [[Simon Mann]], is in a Zimbabwean jail accused of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea. [[Frederick | + | Based in London, the company was founded by former Scots Guard [[Tim Spicer]] who made headlines with the [[Sandline affair]] when he was caught shipping 30 tons of arms to Sierra Leone in apparent violation of a UN weapons embargo and arrested in the abortive coup in Papua New Guinea. One of his friends, the ex-SAS officer [[Simon Mann]], is in a Zimbabwean jail accused of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea. [[Frederick Forsyth]], the author of 'Dogs of War', is one of its shareholders. |
The firm recently signed a new contract with the Pentagon worth $145m (?79m) over protests from its American competitors. This is an extension of the earlier $293 million 'cost plus' contract that it had signed with the Pentagon in May 2003. | The firm recently signed a new contract with the Pentagon worth $145m (?79m) over protests from its American competitors. This is an extension of the earlier $293 million 'cost plus' contract that it had signed with the Pentagon in May 2003. | ||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
The firm employs a total of 930 people in Iraq and besides co-ordinating communications between coalition forces, civilian contractors working on reconstruction projects, and their private security firms, it also provides bodyguards for senior American and Iraqi officials. It operates one national and six regional command-centres and acts as a link between coalition forces and civilian contractors on security issues, relaying information on rebel activity. | The firm employs a total of 930 people in Iraq and besides co-ordinating communications between coalition forces, civilian contractors working on reconstruction projects, and their private security firms, it also provides bodyguards for senior American and Iraqi officials. It operates one national and six regional command-centres and acts as a link between coalition forces and civilian contractors on security issues, relaying information on rebel activity. | ||
| − | In November 2005 Aegis tried to join the [[International Peace Operations Association]] (IPOA), the only trade organization for security contractors. Aegis' membership bid comes just as the IPOA is trying to reposition the industry as for-profit providers of armed men as peace keepers. In a vote several months ago, IPOA rejected Spicer's company. Spicer was 'surprised' by IPOA's initial rejection 'especially since we were invited to apply,' he said in a recent telephone interview with [ | + | In November 2005 Aegis tried to join the [[International Peace Operations Association]] (IPOA), the only trade organization for security contractors. Aegis' membership bid comes just as the IPOA is trying to reposition the industry as for-profit providers of armed men as peace keepers. In a vote several months ago, IPOA rejected Spicer's company. Spicer was 'surprised' by IPOA's initial rejection 'especially since we were invited to apply,' he said in a recent telephone interview with [http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=12829 Corporate Watch]. |
==Employing ex military bullies from Deepcut== | ==Employing ex military bullies from Deepcut== | ||
| − | :Sergeant Michael Dauscha was dismissed from the army after being caught stealing from a supermarket. He stands accused of being involved in systematic cruelty at the Deepcut barracks. He ended up working for a private army in Iraq. In March’s official report into four deaths at the Deepcut army base he was identified only as Sergeant BB and slammed for his “foul abuse” of recruits. The ex-staff sergeant was at Deepcut for 13 months between 1998 and 1999. | + | :Sergeant [[Michael Dauscha]] was dismissed from the army after being caught stealing from a supermarket. He stands accused of being involved in systematic cruelty at the Deepcut barracks. He ended up working for a private army in Iraq. In March’s official report into four deaths at the Deepcut army base he was identified only as Sergeant BB and slammed for his “foul abuse” of recruits. The ex-staff sergeant was at Deepcut for 13 months between 1998 and 1999. |
| − | :Last month’s report by QC Nicholas Blake accused Sergeant BB of hitting male and female recruits, making crude sexual taunts at women and humiliating others at Deepcut in Surrey. He once rode a bike over three squaddies. | + | :Last month’s report by QC Nicholas Blake accused Sergeant BB of hitting male and female recruits, making crude sexual taunts at women and humiliating others at Deepcut in Surrey. He once rode a bike over three squaddies. Dauscha was not at Deepcut when four teenage recruits died between 1995 and 2002 and the report did not implicate him. But the military police recommended he face 11 abuse charges from his time there. |
| − | |||
:Dauscha ended up working in Iraq for security firm Aegis. Aegis has a $293 million Pentagon contract to coordinate the dozens of private security forces operating in Iraq as well as providing its own teams of bodyguards to the Pentagon. There are 50 private security companies in Iraq, with an estimated 20,000 hired guns working for them. Aegis is supposed to coordinate them all. | :Dauscha ended up working in Iraq for security firm Aegis. Aegis has a $293 million Pentagon contract to coordinate the dozens of private security forces operating in Iraq as well as providing its own teams of bodyguards to the Pentagon. There are 50 private security companies in Iraq, with an estimated 20,000 hired guns working for them. Aegis is supposed to coordinate them all. | ||
Revision as of 10:55, 3 December 2006
Based in London, the company was founded by former Scots Guard Tim Spicer who made headlines with the Sandline affair when he was caught shipping 30 tons of arms to Sierra Leone in apparent violation of a UN weapons embargo and arrested in the abortive coup in Papua New Guinea. One of his friends, the ex-SAS officer Simon Mann, is in a Zimbabwean jail accused of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea. Frederick Forsyth, the author of 'Dogs of War', is one of its shareholders.
The firm recently signed a new contract with the Pentagon worth $145m (?79m) over protests from its American competitors. This is an extension of the earlier $293 million 'cost plus' contract that it had signed with the Pentagon in May 2003.
According to Naomi Klein, the CPA's Project Management Office contracted with the firm to protect its employees from "assassination, kidnapping, injury and "embarrassment." In a separate contract, the firm also provides security for employees working on the Iraqi Oil-for-Food corruption inquiry.
The firm employs a total of 930 people in Iraq and besides co-ordinating communications between coalition forces, civilian contractors working on reconstruction projects, and their private security firms, it also provides bodyguards for senior American and Iraqi officials. It operates one national and six regional command-centres and acts as a link between coalition forces and civilian contractors on security issues, relaying information on rebel activity.
In November 2005 Aegis tried to join the International Peace Operations Association (IPOA), the only trade organization for security contractors. Aegis' membership bid comes just as the IPOA is trying to reposition the industry as for-profit providers of armed men as peace keepers. In a vote several months ago, IPOA rejected Spicer's company. Spicer was 'surprised' by IPOA's initial rejection 'especially since we were invited to apply,' he said in a recent telephone interview with Corporate Watch.
Employing ex military bullies from Deepcut
- Sergeant Michael Dauscha was dismissed from the army after being caught stealing from a supermarket. He stands accused of being involved in systematic cruelty at the Deepcut barracks. He ended up working for a private army in Iraq. In March’s official report into four deaths at the Deepcut army base he was identified only as Sergeant BB and slammed for his “foul abuse” of recruits. The ex-staff sergeant was at Deepcut for 13 months between 1998 and 1999.
- Last month’s report by QC Nicholas Blake accused Sergeant BB of hitting male and female recruits, making crude sexual taunts at women and humiliating others at Deepcut in Surrey. He once rode a bike over three squaddies. Dauscha was not at Deepcut when four teenage recruits died between 1995 and 2002 and the report did not implicate him. But the military police recommended he face 11 abuse charges from his time there.
- Dauscha ended up working in Iraq for security firm Aegis. Aegis has a $293 million Pentagon contract to coordinate the dozens of private security forces operating in Iraq as well as providing its own teams of bodyguards to the Pentagon. There are 50 private security companies in Iraq, with an estimated 20,000 hired guns working for them. Aegis is supposed to coordinate them all.
- Aegis Defence Services had profits of £62 million last year. Rt Hon Field Marshal Lord Inge, the former head of the British army, is a non excutive director of Aegis. Inge sat as part of the team that cleared the government over its claims of weapons of mass destruction in the Butler report. Right wing novelist Frederick Forsyth is also a major shareholder.
- Despite now being sacked from his £80,000 a year Baghdad post with Aegis, Dauscha said, “They’ve been very supportive. I’ll probably be going back to Iraq shortly.” Aegis is run by Tim Spicer, a former army lieutenant colonel. Two soldiers in a British military unit under Spicer’s command shot and killed a Catholic teenager, Peter McBride, in Northern Ireland in 1992. The soldiers were subsequently convicted of murder, yet Spicer has steadfastly defended them.{{ref|SW}
People
Resources
- Max Hastings, We must fight our instinctive distaste for mercenaries, The Guardian, 2 August 2006.
- ^ Simon Basketter 'Bullying sergeant went from Deepcut barracks to Iraq' Socialist Worker > archive > dated 15 April 2006 | issue 1996
