Feral Jundi

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Maritime Security: Philippines To Allow Private Security Guards On Ships

Filed under: Maritime Security,Philippines — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 5:57 AM

Between 2006 and 2011, a total of 769 sailors from the Philippines were seized by pirates operating in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. It is believed that all but the 26 were released unharmed and upon payment by their principals of ransom.
Earlier this month, the DFA said the government had come up with a plan to protect Filipino sailors from Somali pirates.

Excellent news and it is good to see another country getting on board with the concept of ‘armed guards on boats’.  As you can see with that quote up top, it is definitely of national interest that something be done.

Although it would be nice to see them fire up the Letter of Marque as a legal tool to manage these armed guards on boats. Either way, this is a great move and I am sure Filipino boat owners will have no problem in finding PSC’s that can do this work, either in the Philippines or elsewhere. –Matt

 

PH to allow private security guards on ships as anti-piracy measure
By Jerry E. Esplanada
January 30th, 2012
The Philippines has given Manila-flagged merchant vessels the go-ahead to deploy private security groups to minimize the risk Filipino seafarers face from Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The move, however, is “subject to Philippine shipping companies” adherence to strict guidelines promulgated by the Maritime Industry Authority and the International Maritime Organization,” the DFA said Monday.
“In their participation at meetings to combat piracy in the IMO, the United Nations and other fora, Philippine government officials have been advocating the importance of promoting the safety of Filipino seamen. This advocacy is being supported by other governments,” it also said.

(more…)

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Libya: The Swiss Contracted Aegis To Protect Their Embassy In Libya

Filed under: Industry Talk,Libya,Switzerland — Tags: , , , , , , — Matt @ 10:41 PM

The government had justified its choice to employ a private firm with local knowledge to guard the Tripoli embassy because it needed time to draw up an operational plan and reach a decision on whether to proceed.

This story has it all–from irony to hilarity. Here are the Swiss, whom for hundreds of years were known for having some of the best mercenary armies in the world, and they contract with a foreign firm called Aegis to protect their embassy in Libya? I guess the Swiss Guard is good enough for the Pope, but not good enough for the Swiss Embassy? lol It is also ironic because the Swiss wanted to ban the use of PMSC’s, but here they are contracting the services of one to protect their embassy. hmmm…..

All kidding aside, the way I look at this story is that it was an honor that Aegis was chosen and given such a contract. And the Swiss government has within it’s right to contract the services of such a company, if it makes sense for that particular situation. I would also be curious about this quote, because the article does not give enough information as to the real numbers here. Like what was the length of time for the Aegis contract? Was this just a three month contract, or what? Because if they are going to throw around a cost effectiveness statement like this, then we need to see the numbers.

The foreign ministry said on Thursday that the Aegis contract will have cost SFr960,000 altogether. The cost to deploy members of the Army Reconnaissance Detachment 10 should be around SFr600,000 for six months.

If anyone from the company has anything to say about the contract itself, please feel free to do so in the comments section. Because this particular article makes it sound like Swiss Commandos are having to storm in and save the day.

I suspect otherwise, and if anything, Aegis did exactly what they were asked to do. Provide security on the ground for the start up of this thing, and meanwhile the Swiss can figure out a plan for what they want to do. –Matt

 

Commandos ready to secure Tripoli embassy
Jan 26, 2012
Swiss special forces will officially take over security tasks at Switzerland’s embassy in Libya on Monday, replacing private firm Aegis.
The government’s decision to hire Aegis for over three months was widely criticised in Swiss political circles. Although the company is headquartered in Basel since 2010, it also employs 20,000 mercenaries who are deployed mainly in Iraq and Afghanistan, making it one of the world’s biggest private armies.
The government had justified its choice to employ a private firm with local knowledge to guard the Tripoli embassy because it needed time to draw up an operational plan and reach a decision on whether to proceed.
The cabinet has since drawn up legislation banning private security firms operating in conflict zones or holding companies in this sector from being based in Switzerland.
The foreign ministry said on Thursday that the Aegis contract will have cost SFr960,000 altogether. The cost to deploy members of the Army Reconnaissance Detachment 10 should be around SFr600,000 for six months.
The embassy in Tripoli is the only Swiss representation abroad where Swiss soldiers will be responsible for security.
Story here.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Industry Talk: Mexico Drug War Boosts Security Business

Filed under: Industry Talk,Mexico — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 10:47 PM

During the five years since President Felipe Calderon took power and declared war on drug cartels, Mexico has been shaken by 47,000 drug-related murders as well as rocketing levels of kidnapping and extortion.
In the same period, Mexico’s biggest security firm, Multisistemas de Seguridad Industrial, says it has grown by 70 percent.
It now has an army of more than 10,000 private security guards — including many former soldiers — who are licensed to carry guns to protect the company’s 2,500 Mexican clients.

Multisistemas is like the G4S of Mexico? I had no idea it was that big, and I have never even heard of this company before. So that is why I wanted to put this one up in the archives for reference. Also, Multisistemas might be a good company to throw a resume at if you would like to offer your services there. Especially for the high risk PSD type operations.

If anyone has anything else to add about Multisistemas, feel free to do so in the comments. –Matt

 

Mexico drug war boosts security business
Amid the violence, Mexico’s rich get ID chips, armored cars and gunmen on call.
Ioan Grillo
January 21, 2012
Mexico’s wealthy embed GPS chips under their skin, fatten their SUV’s with bullet proof armor, and hire trucks of gun-toting bodyguards to follow them to the shopping mall.
While Mexico’s merciless drug war has scared off tourists and investment dollars, it has fed one niche industry: private-security services.

(more…)

Friday, January 20, 2012

Film: Haywire

Filed under: Film — Tags: , , , — Matt @ 10:36 PM

Back in early 2010 I posted a deal about this movie coming out, but it wasn’t called Haywire. It was called Knock Out, but it still had all of the big name stars in it.

What makes this interesting to our industry is that it’s main star, Gina Carano, is a real life female mixed martial arts fighter (retired now), and she plays a very lethal security contractor in this film. This is a female lead that really knows how to fight, and could probably defeat all of her male co-stars in the ring, to include many of the males watching this film out there. lol

That is probably why Oscar winning director Steven Soderbergh wanted to get her into this film. To try and redefine the classic female action star role–a truly lethal and beautiful lead. Here is the trailer for it below and it looks like it could be a fun movie to watch. –Matt

 

Industry Talk: Body Of UK Security Contractor Turned Over To Embassy In Iraq

Filed under: Industry Talk,Iraq,Kidnap And Ransom,United Kingdom — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 10:06 PM

The family can now get some closure and I am glad someone had the respect enough to finally hand over the body. It also looks like these captors killed him and his fellow guards as they were trying to escape. Back in those days, kidnapping usually turned into death by head cutting, and I am sure that is what was going through these guy’s minds at the time of escape. Rest in peace to the fallen and my heart goes out to the families and friends. –Matt

 

Alan McMenemy.

Body of UK hostage turned over to embassy in Iraq
January 20, 2012
The body of a British hostage kidnapped in Iraq in 2007 has been turned over to the U.K. Embassy in Baghdad, officials said Friday.
Alan McMenemy was one of five men kidnapped by Shiite militants in a daytime attack outside Baghdad’s Finance Ministry. McMenemy was part of a security detail guarding computer expert Peter Moore, who was released alive in 2010.
The bodies of the other bodyguards — Jason Swindlehurst, Jason Creswell and Alec MacLachlan — were returned in 2009.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said in a statement Friday that his thoughts were with McMenemy’s family and friends.
“They have waited so long for his return and I hope that this will allow them to find some peace after an ordeal that no family should ever have to suffer,” Cameron said.
The statement did not provide any detail as to how or under what circumstances McMenemy’s body was returned. He was long believed to be dead, and a second statement released on behalf of McMenemy’s widow Roseleen said that his body’s return “will allow us to properly grieve for him … we will draw some comfort from the fact that we have him home at last.”
Story here.

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