British mercenaries exposed on video shooting Iraqi civilians

[Ahknaton]

Article (http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=MAD20051201&articleId=1381)

Video (http://globalresearch.ca/audiovideo/Aegis-PSD.wmv) (with music in poor taste)

'Trophy' video exposes private security contractors shooting up Iraqi drivers

By Sean Rayment, Defence Correspondent,

27/11/2005

The Telegraph

A "trophy" video appearing to show security guards in Baghdad randomly shooting Iraqi civilians has sparked two investigations after it was posted on the internet, the Sunday Telegraph can reveal.

The video has sparked concern that private security companies, which are not subject to any form of regulation either in Britain or in Iraq, could be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocent Iraqis.

Lt Col Tim Spicer is investigating the incident The video, which first appeared on a website that has been linked unofficially to Aegis Defence Services, contained four separate clips, in which security guards open fire with automatic rifles at civilian cars. All of the shooting incidents apparently took place on "route Irish", a road that links the airport to Baghdad.

The road has acquired the dubious distinction of being the most dangerous in the world because of the number of suicide attacks and ambushes carried out by insurgents against coalition troops. In one four-month period earlier this year it was the scene of 150 attacks.

In one of the videoed attacks, a Mercedes is fired on at a distance of several hundred yards before it crashes in to a civilian taxi. In the last clip, a white civilian car is raked with machine gun fire as it approaches an unidentified security company vehicle. Bullets can be seen hitting the vehicle before it comes to a slow stop.

There are no clues as to the shooter but either a Scottish or Irish accent can be heard in at least one of the clips above Elvis Presley's Mystery Train, the music which accompanies the video.

Last night a spokesman for defence firm Aegis Defence Services - set up in 2002 by Lt Col Tim Spicer, a former Scots Guards officer - confirmed that the company was carrying out an internal investigation to see if any of their employees were involved.

The Foreign Office has also confirmed that it is investigating the contents of the video in conjunction with Aegis, one of the biggest security companies operating in Iraq. The company was recently awarded a £220 million security contract in Iraq by the United States government. Aegis conducts a number of security duties and helped with the collection of ballot papers in the country's recent referendum

Lt Col Spicer, 53, rose to public prominence in 1998 when his private military company Sandlines International was accused of breaking United Nations sanctions by selling arms to Sierra Leone.

The video first appeared on the website www.aegisIraq.co.uk. The website states: "This site does not belong to Aegis Defence Ltd, it belongs to the men on the ground who are the heart and soul of the company." The clips have been removed.

The website also contains a message from Lt Col Spicer, which reads: "I am concerned about media interest in this site and I remind everyone of their contractual obligation not to speak to or assist the media without clearing it with the project management or Aegis London.

"Refrain from posting anything which is detrimental to the company since this could result in the loss or curtailment of our contract with resultant loss for everybody."

Security companies awarded contracts by the US administration in Iraq adopt the same rules for opening fire as the American military. US military vehicles carry a sign warning drivers to keep their distance from the vehicle. The warning which appears in both Arabic and English reads "Danger. Keep back. Authorised to use lethal force." A similar warning is also displayed on the rear of vehicles belonging to Aegis.

Capt Adnan Tawfiq of the Iraqi Interior Ministry which deals with compensation issues, has told the Sunday Telegraph that he has received numerous claims from families who allege that their relatives have been shot by private security contractors travelling in road convoys.

He said: "When the security companies kill people they just drive away and nothing is done. Sometimes we ring the companies concerned and they deny everything. The families don't get any money or compensation. I would say we have had about 50-60 incidents of this kind."

A spokesman for Aegis Defence Services, said: "There is nothing to indicate that these film clips are in any way connected to Aegis."

Last night a spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "Aegis have assured us that there is nothing on the video to suggest that it has anything to do with their company. This is now a matter for the American authorities because Aegis is under contract to the United States."

Copyright Telegraph, UK, 2005

[Sulla the Dictator]

I hope it does fall under our jurisdiction. If we find out who these guys are, and if they have no proof of defending themselves in these videos, they should be shot on the spot.

[Felix the Cat]

Yeah, I remember this. Any news of the investigation?

This (http://www.aegisiraq.co.uk/Message_Board.htm) is the website which originally posted it

[Sulla the Dictator]

Yeah, I remember this. Any news of the investigation?

This (http://www.aegisiraq.co.uk/Message_Board.htm) is the website which originally posted it

These sound like old fashioned 1960s mercs.

[SteamshipTime]

I hope it does fall under our jurisdiction. If we find out who these guys are, and if they have no proof of defending themselves in these videos, they should be shot on the spot.

Why? If we really are fighting a war, we should be as ruthless as they are. If we're not, we need to leave.

[Kodos]

I hope it does fall under our jurisdiction. If we find out who these guys are, and if they have no proof of defending themselves in these videos, they should be shot on the spot.

Why? If an "incident" occurs in an area a circle should be drawn around the area on a map and except for religious minorities the entire population within the circle should be killed. Thats how you stop a rebellion.

[SteamshipTime]

Why? If an "incident" occurs in an area a circle should be drawn around the area on a map and except for religious minorities the entire population within the circle should be killed. Thats how you stop a rebellion.

The Sunnis are a religious minority in Iraq.

There are no Jews and very few Christians left in Iraq, now that Saddam has been overthrown.

[Kodos]

The Sunnis are a religious minority in Iraq.

Religious minorities means minorities within the rebel area, ie Shiites in a Sunni area and christians( still a few, I don't think Iraq has had any jews since about the 70s).

And btw if you think this is inhumane keep in mind the more "secular" Syrians burned the Danish embassy over a cartoon, they are more subhuman then even I thought previously. So fuck em all...

[SteamshipTime]

And btw if you think this is inhumane keep in mind the more "secular" Syrians burned the Danish embassy over a cartoon, they are more subhuman then even I thought previously. So fuck em all...

Here is where you demonstrate the West's ignorance of these people. They didn't burn the embassy over "a cartoon": they burned the embassy because the Danish government allowed a visual depiction, and what they regard as a defamatory one at that, of the prophet Mohammed. This is regarded by Muslims as a grave sin. I think it's silly myself, but then I'm not a Muslim. Quite frankly, if I could get away with it, I'd torch the "Piss Christ" and "Madonna and Dung" crap too. Some religious nutjobs throw old men in jail for suggesting that the Nazi "gas chambers" were actually delousing rooms. All depends on your perspective.

[Kodos]

Here is where you demonstrate the West's ignorance of these people. They didn't burn the embassy over "a cartoon": they burned the embassy because the Danish government allowed a visual depiction, and what they regard as a defamatory one at that, of the prophet Mohammed. This is regarded by Muslims as a grave sin.

It just shows how fucked up their religion is... this is cartoon Muhammad we haven't gotten to the "piss Muhammad" stage yet...

[Sulla the Dictator]

Why? If we really are fighting a war, we should be as ruthless as they are.

I see no need to slip into barbarism.

[Sulla the Dictator]

Why? If an "incident" occurs in an area a circle should be drawn around the area on a map and except for religious minorities the entire population within the circle should be killed. Thats how you stop a rebellion.

Thats how despots stop a rebellion. There's no need for that kind of excess.

[Sinclair]

That method of stopping a rebellion basically operates on the principle that if there aren't any people alive to be rebels, ta da, no rebellion.

Nothing says ''civilised'' like massacres. :rolleyes:

[Kodos]

Thats how despots stop a rebellion. There's no need for that kind of excess.

Lets keep in mind these people are rioting internationally over a cartoon published in Denmark.

[Kodos]

That method of stopping a rebellion basically operates on the principle that if there aren't any people alive to be rebels, ta da, no rebellion.

We can always send all the spics to repopulate Iraq...

[Jimbo Gomez]

Civilized people can't top rebellions. There is a reason no Gallic tribe (esxcept one, which got wiped out to the last soul) ever tried a guerilla uprising against Rome. Warnerd had a pretty good piece about this.

Western powers these days can't subdue popular uprisings. You only can do that if you're prepared to be as mean as possible.

[Count Eustace II]

Those controversial cartoons were not enough for Muslims to go apeshit when they were first published in Sept. 2005 but 5 months later the Danish embassies are being burnt down? Weird. I think the Neocon Zionist cabal fanned the flames of the defamation of Muhammed in order to cause Muslim uprisings and violence which has the effect of making the hatred of Muslims grow stronger in Western countries.
More hatred for Muslims=more easier for Zion to start wars.

As for the British soldiers involved in those beatings and shootings of young, unarmed Iraqis, they should all be court-martialed and dishonorably discharged from the service. What they did to those kids was a disgrace and I'm sure the Zionist Americans and British engage in brutality like this against Iraqis everyday. No wonder the insurgency keeps growing and gets more lethal.

[SteamshipTime]

I see no need to slip into barbarism.

Same question: why not? How long are you prepared to pay for the status quo?

If we aren't willing to do what is needed to maintain an empire, then we need to stop being imperialists.

[Kodos]

Those controversial cartoons were not enough for Muslims to go apeshit when they were first published in Sept. 2005 but 5 months later the Danish embassies are being burnt down? Weird. I think the Neocon Zionist cabal fanned the flames of the defamation of Muhammed

I'm sure some interested party( not sure who fanatical imams most likely) fanned the flames but you couldn't do this with non muslims...

[Sulla the Dictator]

Those controversial cartoons were not enough for Muslims to go apeshit when they were first published in Sept. 2005 but 5 months later the Danish embassies are being burnt down?


Because the Danish Imams FABRICATED some cartoons in the meantime then gave them to the Saudis.


Weird. I think the Neocon Zionist cabal fanned the flames of the defamation of Muhammed


:rolleyes:

[Sulla the Dictator]

Lets keep in mind these people are rioting internationally over a cartoon published in Denmark.

And I have no intention of killing them for acting like children.

[Vindex]

Well that is what happens in a war where your enemy blends into the population and attacks in the manner we see in Iraq. Better safe then killed by a car bomb. From the sounds of this highway it is open to civilian use? I would have thought they would have a road way only for special use and no civilians allowed.

But given the nature of the situation when they shoot they make resistance to them stronger.

[Dan Dare]

The Daily Telegraph
London EC

Dear Editor:

I'm thoroughly disgusted to note even the Telegraph has joined the throng of simpering do-gooders criticising our brave lads who are merely indulging in one of the time-honoured traditions of the British Army.

In my day on the Frontier a squaddie passing up the opportunity to give a good hiding to any nig-nog or fuzzy-wuzzie hanging around making the place look untidy would have found himself on 14 days jankers pretty damn smartish.

These lads each deserve a gong for reminding us all about the proper way to run an Empire.

Yours sincerely,

Maj. Gen. P.Q. Bloodnock (Mrs.)

[Starr]

As for the British soldiers involved in those beatings and shootings of young, unarmed Iraqis, they should all be court-martialed and dishonorably discharged from the service. What they did to those kids was a disgrace and I'm sure the Zionist Americans and British engage in brutality like this against Iraqis everyday. No wonder the insurgency keeps growing and gets more lethal.

I almost want to agree, but this sounds like a particularily hostile area, this behavior is to be expected with what these soldiers are facing from the insurgents. I do not mean that to sound like an excuse, neccessarily.

And yes, shit like this will continue to fuel the insurgency, as it should.

A win/win situation for the Jews and war profiteers.