Rest in peace to the fallen, and my heart goes out to the family and friends. I don’t know much about the company New Century, but it sounds like it is one of the many companies out there involved with training Afghans. Tim Collins is the CEO and he has definitely been busy with TV shows and books after his career in the military.
If anyone else has something to add about this incident, please feel free to post in the comments section. –Matt
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Ex-Northern Ireland policeman shot dead in Afghanistan by prisoner
10 August 2010
A former Northern Ireland police officer working as a security contractor for Nato in Afghanistan has been shot dead by an escaped insurgent prisoner.
Ken McGonigle, 51, from Co Derry, died on Saturday night when the prisoner in Musa Qala, northern Helmand province, overpowered his guards when being taken to pray. He seized his captors’ weapons and shot McGonigle before killing two US marines as they followed him into nearby buildings. The prisoner was eventually shot and killed.
McGonigle was working for the Nato training mission as part of a group supplied by a private security firm to mentor and train the Afghan police force.
“Our hearts are broken,” said McGonigle’s father, Joe, speaking from Trillick, Co Tyrone. “It is an awful thing to happen but there’s nothing we could do about it … Kenneth was the first man [the insurgent] saw – he opened [fire] and Kenneth hit the ground.”
Ken McGonigle was working for New Century. The firm is based in Guernsey and is led by the former British colonel Tim Collins.
The company yesterday offered its condolences to his family after the “tragic but isolated incident”.
In a statement, it said: “His presence and contribution will be sorely missed by everyone in the company and at the Nato training mission. Ken was a highly professional, deeply competent, well-admired and thoroughly committed colleague who made a material difference through his work.”