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Africa North
UK firm with Benghazi consulate contract had little in-country experience
2012-10-15
A small British firm secured a contract to provide security for American diplomatic facilities in Benghazi despite having only a few months experience in the country. Blue Mountain, run by a former member of the SAS, received paperwork to operate in Libya last year following the collapse of Col Gaddafi's regime. It worked on short term contacts to guard an expatriate housing compound and a five-star hotel in Tripoli before landing the $387,000 (£241,000) one year contract from the US State Department to protect the compound in May.

Other firms in the security industry expressed surprise that Blue Mountain had won a large, high profile contract from the US government. The New York Times last week reported that major security firms with a track record of guarding US premises elsewhere had made approaches to undertake work in Libya but were rebuffed. One industry executive said the level of service Blue Mountain provided did not appear adequate to the risks presented by a lawless city. The Camarthen firm sent just one British employee, recruited from the celebrity bodyguard circuit, to oversee the work.

Sources have told the Daily Telegraph that just five unarmed locally hired Libyans were placed on duty at the compound on eight-hour shifts under a deal that fell outside the State Department's global security contracting system. A five man security team from the US diplomatic protection service and three members of a local revolutionary brigade were also on duty on the night of the attacks.

But Blue Mountain's local woes appears to have hampered a coordinated response by the compound's defenders when the late assault kicked off. The Daily Telegraph has learned that relations between the firm and its Libyan partner had broken down, leading to the withdrawal of Darryl Davies, manager of the Benghazi contract for Blue Mountain. Mr Davies flew out of the city hours before the attack was launched. Abdulaziz Majbiri, a Blue Mountain guard at the compound, told the Daily Telegraph that they were effectively abandoned and incapable of defending themselves on the night of the attack.

Nigel Thomas, the Blue Mountain director, refused to answer any questions about the companies activities in Libya, citing official US inquiries into the incident. He said: "The US State Department investigation is still ongoing at this time. Blue Mountain have no comment to make and all questions should be directed to the US mission."
Posted by:Pappy

#7  But the biggest problem is that they were hiring local Libyan guards for $4/hour. Really - they were. Do you honestly expect that these kinds of guys will stick around when the security situation goes to he**-in-a-handbasket? As always ... you get what you pay for.
Posted by: Raider   2012-10-15 13:19  

#6  How much did they contribute to teh One's campaign?
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305   2012-10-15 11:58  

#5  The edge of the consulate was the US border...

Why did they need any more than bean bag guns?
Posted by: Bright Pebbles   2012-10-15 11:17  

#4  ...same class of people who write RoEs for Afghanistan [or Chicago for that matter].
Posted by: Procopius2k   2012-10-15 10:43  

#3  They would never have hired Blackwater/XE - the narrative was supposed to be that native Libyans were all stable and democratic, so there was no need for US security beyond a nominal and unarmed presence.
Posted by: lotp   2012-10-15 10:14  

#2  Well, you trashed Blackwater/XE for saving your skins in Iraq, had a pique and selected someone else. How's that working out for you all.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2012-10-15 08:57  

#1  The Daily Telegraph has learned that relations between the firm and its Libyan partner had broken down, leading to the withdrawal of Darryl Davies

Translation: $387,000. won't even cover my own contract and travel let alone the wages and bribes these buggers are asking for. This place is a disaster ready to happen. Stuff it. I'm outta here!
Posted by: Besoeker   2012-10-15 02:57  

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