• ABC News [Historical archive no longer properly maintained, ABC links will be removed shortly and alternative sources found]

Former US Contractor Says He Abused Drugs to Cope in Afghanistan. Kevin Carlson, a former Special Forces soldier, worked as a team medic in Kabul for Jorge Scientific, a major U.S. defense contractor. By Cindy Galli, Rhonda Schwartz, and Brian Ross, October 22, 2012: click here

ArmorGroup North America Pays $7.5 M Fine. The private contracting company whose employees were accused of sexual hazing and throwing wild, drunken parties in Afghanistan settled a lawsuit with the U.S. government by agreeing to pay a $7.5 million fine, the Department of Justice said today. By Lee Ferran and Jack Cloherty, July 7, 2011: click here

• AllAfrica.com

Cameroon: Reining in Private Security Firms. Known as the Bill to Amend and Supplement Some Provisions of Law No. 97/21 of 10 September 1997 on Private Security Companies, the legislation, which is now before the Senate, was passed by the National Assembly on December 4, 2014. By Kimeng Hilton Ndukong, December 8, 2014: TEXT

Angola: Private Security Firms Law Passed. The Law was approved at the 7th Plenary Ordinary Meeting of the 2nd Session of the 3rd Legislating Period and is intended to improve the articulation between the citizens' need to create or use private security services and the interests resulting from the State's security service. AllAfrica, May 22, 2014: TEXT

Liberia: "Policy Think Tank or Exiled Political Mercenaries?" Opinion - Liberia Institute of Public Integrity's Policy Howler. By Patrik Solunteh, May 8, 2013 : TEXT

Liberia: 'Nothing to Do With Us' - Liberia Reacts to Reports of Renewed Cross-Border Attacks. At least six people, including two soldiers, were killed when an armed gang attacked the village of Zilebly in western Ivory Coast. By Massa F Kanneh, 16 March 2013: TEXT

Liberia Seeks Extradition of 'Mercenaries.' The Ivorian mercenaries are among 20 Liberians charged with "mercenarism" for their alleged involvement in cross-border raids into Ivory Coast. 31 December 2012: click here

Nigeria: Contractor Summoned Over Multi-Billion Naira Security Contract. Security agencies to quiz an Israeli defence and security contractor as part of the ongoing investigation into a multi-billion naira contract for the procurement of patrol boats for the Nigeria Army. By Tokunbo Adedoja, November 5, 2012: click here

South Africa: Addressing Mercenaries and PMSCS in the Defence Review 2012. For the second time in the history of South Africa's democracy, all segments of the society are once again engaged in the shaping of the country's defence policy. This process is spearheaded by the Defence Review Committee, which was constituted in July 2011. By Sabelo Gumedze (Senior Researcher, Conflict Management and Peacebuilding Division, ISS Pretoria Office), May 11, 2012: click here

South African Mercenaries in the Mad Dog's War. The murmurs of South African involvement in the botched escape of fallen despot Muammar "Mad Dog" Gaddafi are becoming too loud to ignore. Simon Allison sifts through the reports and rumours surrounding local guns-for-hire and their doomed Libyan adventure. By Simon Allison, November 4, 2011: click here

The United States and the Lord's Resistance Army. With the US announcing that 100 troops will be sent to help combat the Lord's Resistance Army, Gary K. Busch unpacks the history of US intervention in Africa - and points to recent oil discoveries in East Africa as the real reason for the military intervention. By Gary K. Busch, October 27, 2011: click here

• Asia Times Online

Security firms eye African 'terror' bonanza. Some of these firms were virtually unknown before the war, including a small private British firm, Blue Mountain Group. The latter was responsible for guarding the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi which was torched on September 11 last year. By Ramzy Baroud, January 30, 2013: TEXT

Security for sale. In the South China Sea PMCs like Trident have taken on anti-piracy duties. Last year the Economist reported on two PMCs - Marine Risk Management and Satellite Protection Services (SPS) - that deploy airborne mercenaries to deal with piracy. By David Isenberg. August 14, 2012: TEXT

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Hostages killed in Algeria rescue attempt. Government forces moved against a militant Islamist group which had been holding a number of foreign workers hostage at a large gas plant. Most reports say a number of hostages have been freed, some have escaped, but others have been killed. The British prime minister says the country should prepare for bad news. AM - Presented by Tony Eastley, Mary Gearin. January 18, 2013: AUDIO (6min 42sec)

Questions raised over use of private maritime security guards in the Gulf. As merchant ships, operating in the Arabian Sea, increasingly depend on private security firms to protect them from pirates, concerns are being raised about their methods. By Thom Cookes, Newsline, December 18, 2012: VIDEO (7min 15sec).

Libya: Mercenaries thought to be helping Gaddafi's son Saif. PCC Chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said we're also receiving information that a group of mercenaries may be endeavouring to facilitate Saif al-Islam's escape from Libya. By Barbara Miller, November 3, 2011 18:30:00: TEXT | AUDIO

Tripoli a ghost town as Libyan mercenaries roam: local. Jon Faine speaks to Tripoli man Amairr for the second time in two days. "There's nobody outside, the markets are closed, everything's closed, the streets are empty." 24 February, 2011: TEXT | VIDEO

 

• AFP (Agence France-Presse)

Entreprises ennemies d’internet: RSF dénonce les "mercenaires numériques". Gamma (Royaume-Uni), Trovicor (Allemagne), Hacking Team (Italie), Amesys (France) et Blue Coat (Etats-Unis) : les produits de ces 5 entreprises «ennemies d’internet», ont été ou sont utilisés par les autorités pour commettre des violations des droits de l’homme et de la liberté de l’information, indique RSF, dont le rapport est consultable à partir de mardi sur le site surveillance.rsf.org. Liberation, March 12, 2013: TEXT

Des milliers de clandestins africains détenus en Libye. Des milliers de migrants africains récemment arrivés en Libye sont bloqués dans des centres de détention du pays, l'utilisation par l'ex-dirigeant Mouammar Kadhafi de mercenaires noirs pour réprimer la révolution déclenchée il y a un an ayant renforcé le racisme à leur encontre. February 28, 2012: TEXT | PICTURE

• AP (Associated Press)

Panel: Possible aerial attack on Hammarskjold plane in 1961. The 99-page report on the plane crash that killed U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold states that the United States and Britain retain some classified files and says South Africa has not responded to several requests for information. By Edith M. Lederer, July 6, 2015: TEXT

United Nations: Private Security to Earn $244B by 2016. The private military and security business is growing by 7.4 percent a year and on track to become a $244 billion global industry by 2016, the U.N.'s expert on mercenaries Anton Katz reported. By Peter James Spielmann, November 4, 2013. TEXT

• BBC News (UK)

Wagner Group: Scale of Russian mercenary mission in Libya exposed. By Ilya Barabanov and Nader Ibrahim. A BBC investigation has revealed the scale of operations by a shadowy Russian mercenary group in Libya's civil war, which includes links to war crimes and the Russian military. BBC News, August 11, 2021: MULTIMEDIA

Chennai Six survivor Nick Dunn 'slowly coping' with life back home. Nick Dunn from Northumberland was part of a group dubbed the Chennai Six - The six men were working on the anti-piracy ship MV Seaman Guard Ohio, owned by the US-based company AdvanFort, when they were arrested in 2013. June 6, 2018. TEXT | PICTURES

UK: Security guard fraud exposed by undercover researchers. With a fraudulently obtained Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence, a researcher got a job offer at a power station and an interview to guard Canary Wharf. By Guy Lynn and Ed Davey, BBC News, March 23, 2015: TEXT | PICTURES | VIDEO

G4S repays UK government £108.9m after tagging scandal. The payment is higher than the £24m offered last year by G4S, which faces a fraud inquiry into the tagging scandal. March 12, 2014: TEXT | PICTURE

Serco to pay government back £68.5m over tagging. An audit by accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers alleged that overcharging began as early as 2005. December 19, 2013: TEXT | PICTURE

Prisons privatisation cancelled amid Serco probe. Serco was named as the leading bidder in July but the company has been accused of over-charging the government for electronically tagging criminals. November 22, 2013: TEXT | PICTURE

G4S £24.1m tagging offer rejected by ministers. The Ministry of Justice has rejected an offer of £24.1m from G4S which the security firm says it owes after over-charging for the tagging of offenders. November 19, 2013: TEXT | PICTURE

G4S offers to pay government £24m for tag overcharging. Security firm G4S has offered to pay back £24.1m after admitting the way it billed the UK government for tagging offenders was "not appropriate". November 19, 2013: TEXT | VIDEO

G4S probe after tag firms' multi-million overcharging confirmed. UK Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has asked the Serious Fraud Office to consider investigating G4S over overcharging for tagging criminals in England and Wales. July 11, 2013: TEXT | VIDEO

South Africa charges Democratic Republic of Congo 'rebels for coup plot.' Nineteen suspected Congolese rebels who belonged to the Democratic Republic of Congo's Union of Nationalists for Renewal (UNR) rebel group have been charged in a South African court with plotting a coup against President Joseph Kabila. February 7, 2013: TEXT

BAE Systems and EADS in talks over merger. "Both companies would operate as one group by means of equalisation and other agreements but would be separately listed on their existing exchanges." September 12, 2012: click here

Libya jails 24 'foreign mercenaries'from Ukraine who claim innocence. June 4, 2012: click here

Ukraine seeks Libya 'mercenaries' release. April 10, 2012: click here

Armed guards to protect UK ship. October 30, 2011: click here

US court case reveals CIA rendition detail. September 1, 2011 : click here

 

• Bloomberg

Apollo-Backed Constellis Skips Payment Ahead of Restructuring. tHE security contractor backed by Apollo Global Management skipped a second loan payment as the company continues advanced talks to rework its debt load of more than $1 billion. February 3, 2020: TEXT

Apollo-Backed Constellis’s Debt Hit Lows as Restructuring Looms. The security contractor backed by Apollo Global Management Inc. looks to rework its debt load of more than $1 billion, with lenders potentially taking control. January. 6, 2020: TEXT

Bristow to Operate U.K.’s Finmeccanica Rescue Helicopters. Bristow will provide land and sea service extending as far as 250 nautical miles offshore from 10 sites around the U.K., the Department for Transport, which ran the competition for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, said today in a statement. By Robert Wall - Mar 26, 2013: TEXT

Obama Increases Pakistan Drone Strikes as Relations Sour. The impasse over the NATO routes came after a series of other flash points last year, including the killing of two Pakistanis by a CIA contractor and the U.S. raid on al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s compound without informing Pakistani officials. By Indira A.R. Lakshmanan, June 9, 2012: click here

Israel Army’s Cyber-Knowhow Aids Firms Hiring Hackers. Israeli software companies say their country's expertise with such cyber weapons has created a pool of army-trained hacking talent to hire from. By By Gwen Ackerman and Jonathan Ferziger, June 5, 2012: click here

DynCorp to Settle Claims of Inflating Costs for Iraq Work for $7.7 Million. The Justice Department said yesterday that DynCorp and its subcontractor, The Sandi Group, will settle a whistleblower case filed in federal court in Washington . The Sandi Group, accused of submitting false claims on a police-training contract in Iraq, will pay more than $1 million. By Tom Schoenberg, April 23, 2011: click here

• Boston Globe

Pacific Command contractor charged with spying. Benjamin Pierce Bishop, 59, is accused of sending the woman an email last May with information on existing war plans. By Audrey McAvoy (AP), March 18, 2013: TEXT

Swiss Guards in central role in papal retirement of Benedict XVI. A look at the Swiss guards and their colorful history. By Victor L. Simpson (AP), February 28, 2013: TEXT | PICTURE

Private US firms take major role vs. cyberattacks. Kevin Mandia (from Mandiant), a retired military cybercrime investigator, decided to expose China as a primary threat to U.S. computer networks. By Anne Flaherty (AP). February 21, 2013: TEXT | PICTURE

Cuba sentences Spaniard to 4 years in car crash. Cuba calls the dissidents ‘‘mercenaries’’ and accuses them of trying to undermine the country’s Communist system. By Peter Orsi (AP), October 15, 2012: TEXT | PICTURE

Swiss government proposes ban on mercenary firms. Switzerland wants to banish mercenary firms and tighten the rules for private security companies based in the country in a bid to safeguard its tradition of neutrality. By Frederic Merat (AP), October 12, 2011: TEXT

• Boston Herald

Pentagon gets cyberwar guidelines. Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn and others also say the Pentagon must more aggressively protect the networks of defense contractors that possess valuable information about military systems and weapons' designs. By Associated Press, June 22, 2011: click here

Ex-Blackwater president Gary Jackson denies excessive force. Two former Blackwater employees, Brad and Melan Davis, have accused the company's workers of using extreme force and improperly billing for travel costs. Blackwater has since changed its name to Xe. By Associated Press, January 29, 2011: click here

More news items focusing on the Blackwater family of companies available at our BLACKWATER NEWS page

Blackwater founder Erik Prince training Somalis. Prince is involved in a multimillion-dollar program financed by several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, to mobilize some 2,000 Somali recruits to fight pirates who are terrorizing the African coast, according to a person familiar with the project. By Associated Press, January 20, 2011: click here

• Business Wire

DynCorp International and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Sign First Private Company Partnership to Support Families of Fallen Team Members. "We are pleased to sign a memorandum of agreement with DynCorp International that will provide bereavement care and support to DI employees who die while serving to support the military mission," said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS president and founder. March 31, 2014: TEXT