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

'Trophy' video exposes private security contractors shooting up Iraqi
drivers
By Sean Rayment, Defence Correspondent
(Filed: 27/11/2005)
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."


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