IRAQ: Private Security Gunman May be from South Africa
A South African employed by a private security company in Iraq has allegedly been involved in the random shooting of civilians in the war-ravaged country.
A South African employed by a private security company in Iraq has allegedly been involved in the random shooting of civilians in the war-ravaged country.
A video clip showing private security guards shooting at members of the public has been circulated on the Internet and this week it was claimed that a man shown in the footage was a South African.
It is estimated that there are between 3 000 and 5 000 South Africans working in the private security business in Iraq, of whom at least 17 have been killed.
The video clip shows the view from the back of a moving vehicle of what appears to be a road leading into Baghdad. The barrel of a gun held by someone in the vehicle comes into view and the the weapon can be seen being fired at civilian cars.
| The video first surfaced on a blog site |
According to bloggers (people who keep journals on the web) the man shooting at the civilians was a South African working for private security company, Aegis, at Camp Victory, in Baghdad. The man is named on several websites, but it could not be confirmed that he was a South African.
Aegis said in a statement that it was aware a compilation of video clips of what appeared to be shooting incidents in Iraq was being circulated on the internet.
An inquiry, in co-operation with the US military authorities, would investigate whether the footage had any connection with the company and, if so, under what circumstances the incident might have taken place.
The video first surfaced on a blog site operated by a former member of an Aegis Security Escort Team.
Aegis's R1,95-billion US government contract includes protecting civilian and military personnel. It carries out more than 100 escort assignments a week.
Aegis said it operated under strict Rules of Engagement which allow for a structured escalation, including opening fire on civilian vehicles under certain circumstances.
British media have voiced concerns that private security companies could be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocent Iraqis.
The head of Aegis Defence Services, Tim Spicer, was involved with the now defunct mercenary company Executive Outcomes.
Executive Outcomes was ordered to shut down in 1998 by then president Nelson Mandela. Spicer is also linked to the failed Equatorial Guinea coup plot. Spicer, Jeffrey Archer, David Tremain and Tony Buckingham are the alleged financiers of the coup attempt.
- 174 War & Disaster Profiteers Campaign