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Article

3 Jun 2007

Author:
Andrew Johnson, Marie Woolf and Raymond Whitaker, Independent [UK]

The security industry: Britain's private army in Iraq

...as we grow more reliant on [foreign security guards working in Iraq], their future is perilous in a country without rules...[T]he abduction [of four British security guards] has cast light on the way Iraq's bloody chaos has given birth to an entire private security industry, one in which British companies are among the leaders...The IT consultant was hired by BearingPoint...The four security men worked for GardaWorld..."Third country" personnel, willing to accept lower pay and, in many cases, higher risks, are often replacing pricier British or American private security operators...Many critics...accuse some security companies of being little more than mercenaries - private armies that can operate with virtual impunity..."The controls over private military companies are rather thin. They are outside the norms of international law..." said Norman Baker, Liberal Democrat MP...[also refers to ArmorGroup, Aegis Defence Services, Control Risks, Erinys, Olive Group, Blue Hackle, BritAm Defence, Centurion, Janusian, Pilgrims Group, Global Strategies Group, Sandline]