232:
173:, forming an undercover network for the employment of former servicemen as armed bodyguards, members of assassination teams, and soldiers of private armies overseas. Some of those companies overtly advertised their security-related services (such as Saladin Security Ltd and Thor Security Systems Ltd), some had confusing names (such as
270:
Security
Advisory Services made 6-month contracts with mercenaries and paid for their transportation. According to John Banks, the company offered them $ 300 a week and promised them $ 10,000 as a reward for any Russian captured. Some of the mercenaries were only 17 years old, without any military
747:, section 2 Third Key Figure: "...Mr. Banks, who accompanied one group of 43 mercenaries from Heathrow Airport on Wednesday aboard a Sabena airliner to Brussels from there the men—without Mr. Banks, who later returned to London—flew on a charter flight to Kinshasa, the capital of Zaire".
483:, p. 8: "...Major Russell West, ex-SAS squadron commander and one time managing director of Thor Security Systems Ltd. Last July, the Sunday Times reported that Thor was offering for sale, in confidential brochures sent to overseas clients, secret details of security equipment".
447:, p. 11: "SAS Group Intelligence, he claimed, 'employs, controls and runs intelligence gathering and activities in alien paramilitary organisations in the UK. It runs assassination teams, snatch teams, infiltration teams and was run by Dare Newell, retired SAS officer'".
993:
228:, arrived in Britain. Hall brought $ 25,000 to the Security Advisory Services asking for help in recruiting mercenaries to support FNLA in the Angolan Civil War. Later on, the company also received $ 84,000 from Terence Haig, another aide of Roberto.
555:, p. 9: "As the Yemen war tailed off, David Stirling set up a new organisation which soon became recognised as the most prestigious private military organisation perhaps ever created-Watchguard (International) Ltd.".
639:, p. 20: "Last November, when Roberto saw the need for foreign mercenaries, he dispatched a personal emissary-a dishonorably discharged British paratrooper named Norman Hall-to London to hire professional soldiers".
423:, p. 7: "...the highly organised network for the employment of former SAS members-a network that many in the SAS itself fear is transforming the regiment into a training ground for other people's private armies".
435:, p. 7: "...The apparent involvement of serving and recently serving officers of the SAS and the Special Branch in the mercenary trade is an alarming feature of the evidence gathered during our enquiry".
711:, section 1: "...Security Advisory Services, based over an automatic laundry live and run by a former paratrooper, has recruited at least 90 mercenaries some sources place the figure as high as 200".
192:. Its actual activity, however, extended to providing forces for secret military operations and training guerilla fighters. One of the Watchguard's employees was a former paratrooper John Banks.
351:, section 1: "One is said to be Leslie Aspin, a former smuggler and double agent who negotiated an arms deal in Amsterdam for the Irish Republican Army in 1973 and then tipped off the police".
783:, section 3 Served as Mercenary: "Mr. Banks said that the men were being paid $ 300 a week in cash, and that each man was being offered a bonus of $ 10,000 for any Russian captured".
247:
church in London. By various estimates, from 90 to 200 soldiers were sent to Angola by the
Security Advisory Services. John Banks accompanied a group of mercenaries departing from
771:, section 1: "Mr. Banks said in a telephone interview that he had received $ 86,000 in cash for the wages and fares of 116 Britons sent last week to fight in Angola's civil war".
275:, 59 paid soldiers were killed in Angola. Four captured mercenaries were sentenced to death (among them three British citizens) and nine to long-term imprisonment during the
1028:
507:, p. 8: "A director of a city insurance firm Thomas Nelson (Insurance) Ltd, Johnson has freely used his company's name to provide 'cover' for the mercenary activities".
930:
471:, p. 8: "...an article on the front page of the Times announced a new company - Saladin Security Ltd said to be specialising in 'kidnap and ransom protection'".
663:, p. 20: "With $ 25,000 of Roberto's money in his pocket, Hall had little trouble in making contact with the organization called Security Advisory Services".
627:, section 1: "That plan, for an abortive venture against white troops in southern Rhodesia, attracted about 300 replies and resulted in a dossier of names".
759:, section 2 Third Key Figure: "A second group of about 50 men left on a plane for Antwerp, Belgium, later in the day for another charter flight to Zaire".
960:
651:, section 1: "Mr. Hall, who bore a letter of accreditation signed by Mr. Roberto as well as $ 25,000—enlisted the help of Security Advisory Services".
1018:
975:
1023:
675:, p. 20: "...they were joined by a Roberto aide named Terence Haig, who brought with him a bundle of $ 84,000 in fresh hundred-dollar bills".
170:
221:
459:, p. 46: "Other restless ex-SAS men join one of a plethora of security firms which provide bodyguards, training units and mercenaries".
144:, in order to recruit mercenaries for military operations abroad. In 1976, the company massively hired paid soldiers to fight in the
865:
567:, p. 9: "Watchguard was ostensibly designed to supply private bodyguards to overseas heads of state in Africa and the Middle East".
945:
129:
687:, p. 358, p. 358: "He was recruited by JOHN BANKS in the middle of January 1976, in a pub together with other mercenaries".
188:
set up the
Watchguard International Ltd, with the official mission of supplying bodyguards to heads of states in Africa and the
411:, section 1: "...the largest mercenary recruitment operation in Britain since the civil war in Nigeria in the late 1960's".
615:, section 1: "Mr. Banks, who last year tried to recruit white mercenaries to help black Rhodesian nationalist guerrillas".
878:
833:
1013:
994:
A photo of the building on the
Yorktown Road at Sandhurst, where the Security Advisory Services office was situated
855:
579:, p. 9: "The special forces, the brochure claimed, would train others to 'combat insurgency and guerilla warfare'".
212:. The recruitment was not successful, but Banks managed to gather information about those willing to fight abroad.
375:, p. 11: "...John Banks set up his Security Advisory Services (SAS!) recruiting organisation above a laundrette".
125:
25:
723:, p. 194: "Using a firm named Security Advisory Services as a front, he recruited a total of 120 mercenaries".
208:
He opened an office of the
Security Advisory Services in Sandhurst and planned to recruit mercenaries for the
243:. Before their departure to Angola, mercenaries gathered in the pub Dirty Dick's and stayed overnight in the
915:
288:
174:
177:
Ltd), and some even operated as insurance or consulting firms (such as Thomas Nelson (Insurance) Ltd and
735:, section 5: "...Security Advisory Services was the outfit that hired nearly 200 men to fight for FNLA".
244:
271:
training and without proper equipment. According to Ben Hills, a reporter for the
Australian newspaper
999:
Forms sent by
Security Advisory Services to those interested in participation in the Angolan civil war
165:
Starting from the 1960s, a number of
British private companies were established by ex-officers of the
66:
519:, p. 8: "The activities of Control Risks Ltd were well known to ex-soldiers looking for employment".
166:
603:, section 1: "Ex — commandos. paratroopers, S.A.S. troopers wanted for interesting work abroad'".
897:
293:
209:
149:
861:
239:
Apart from placing advertisement in newspapers, John Banks recruited paid soldiers in pubs of
145:
82:
914:
Carroll, Raymond; Younghusband, Peter; Jaffe, Andrew; Macpherson, Malcolm (9 February 1976).
248:
28:
200:
In the summer of 1975, John Banks published the following advertisement in a newspaper:
795:, section 6: "...Untrained, ill-equipped, some aged as young as 17, the recruits were".
225:
185:
62:
1007:
298:
220:
In
November 1975, Norman Hall, a former paratrooper and assistant to the head of the
178:
998:
231:
322:
276:
141:
137:
591:, p. 10: "Among Watchguard's employees were, at one time or another, John Banks".
495:, p. 7: "Few people have heard of KMS Ltd. Fewer still know what the name means".
879:"The Laws of War and the Angolan Trial of Mercenaries: Death to the Dogs of War"
189:
133:
204:
Ex-commandos, paratroopers, S.A.S. troopers wanted for interesting work abroad.
235:
Dirty Dick's pub, where mercenaries gathered before going to the war in Angola
148:, which was the biggest mercenary recruitment operation in Britain since the
256:
252:
363:, section 4: "The SAS recruiting team, headed by arms dealer Les Aspin".
272:
264:
240:
86:
78:
531:, p. 49: "...another firm staffed by ex-SAS members, Control Risks".
672:
660:
636:
396:
360:
260:
230:
387:, section 1: "Another owner is John Banks, a former Paratrooper".
326:
318:
543:, p. 47: "A year later he set up a company called Watchguard".
317:
FNLA, reinforced by
British mercenaries, fought against the
961:"Elusive Group in Britain Is Recruiting for Angola"
399:, p. 20: "...and former Royal Marine Frank Perren".
111:
103:
93:
72:
58:
50:
42:
34:
21:
883:Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law
720:
540:
528:
456:
202:
854:Bloch, Johnathan; Fitzgerald, Patrick (1983).
267:, where they took a charter flight to Zaire.
255:, from where they flew on a charter flight to
8:
16:
807:, section 7: "...Fifty-nine of them died".
15:
780:
768:
756:
744:
708:
648:
624:
612:
600:
408:
384:
348:
128:founded by Leslie Aspin, an arms dealer,
1029:Security companies of the United Kingdom
588:
576:
564:
552:
516:
504:
492:
480:
468:
444:
432:
420:
372:
38:Private military and security contractor
341:
310:
263:, without Banks. Another group flew to
259:, the capital of the Angola's neighbor
857:British Intelligence and Covert Action
834:"1976: Death sentence for mercenaries"
696:
684:
99:Leslie Aspin, John Banks, Frank Perren
54:Leslie Aspin, John Banks, Frank Perren
974:Weinraub, Bernard (3 February 1976).
804:
792:
732:
7:
976:"Briton Recruiting for Angola Group"
959:Weinraub, Bernard (1 January 1976).
946:"Gullibles' Travels - 1976 edition"
816:
222:National Liberation Front of Angola
944:Walker, Martin (5 February 1976).
14:
922:. Johannesburg-Huambo-London: 20.
896:Campbell, Duncan (27 July 1978).
107:Providing military combat forces
1019:Mercenary units and formations
860:. London: Junction Books Ltd.
1:
931:"Master of 'the yobs of war'"
140:, and Frank Perren, a former
1024:Private military contractors
184:In 1967, the founder of SAS
929:Hills, Ben (13 July 1976).
721:Bloch & Fitzgerald 1983
541:Bloch & Fitzgerald 1983
529:Bloch & Fitzgerald 1983
457:Bloch & Fitzgerald 1983
1045:
122:Security Advisory Services
17:Security Advisory Services
898:"Soldiers of Fortune SW5"
152:at the end of the 1960s.
877:Hoover, Mike J. (1977).
210:war in Southern Rhodesia
126:private military company
937:. Melbourne. p. 1.
289:UN Mercenary Convention
236:
206:
175:Keenie Meenie Services
245:St George in the East
234:
115:Mercenary recruitment
916:"The Mercenary Life"
673:Carroll et al. 1976
661:Carroll et al. 1976
637:Carroll et al. 1976
397:Carroll et al. 1976
361:Carroll et al. 1976
167:Special Air Service
18:
294:Unlawful combatant
237:
150:Nigerian Civil War
1014:Angolan Civil War
146:Angolan Civil War
119:
118:
83:Southern Rhodesia
1036:
983:
968:
953:
938:
923:
908:
902:
890:
871:
848:
846:
845:
820:
814:
808:
802:
796:
790:
784:
778:
772:
766:
760:
754:
748:
742:
736:
730:
724:
718:
712:
706:
700:
694:
688:
682:
676:
670:
664:
658:
652:
646:
640:
634:
628:
622:
616:
610:
604:
598:
592:
586:
580:
574:
568:
562:
556:
550:
544:
538:
532:
526:
520:
514:
508:
502:
496:
490:
484:
478:
472:
466:
460:
454:
448:
442:
436:
430:
424:
418:
412:
406:
400:
394:
388:
382:
376:
370:
364:
358:
352:
346:
329:
315:
249:Heathrow Airport
26:Private military
19:
1044:
1043:
1039:
1038:
1037:
1035:
1034:
1033:
1004:
1003:
990:
973:
958:
943:
928:
913:
900:
895:
876:
868:
853:
843:
841:
832:
829:
824:
823:
815:
811:
803:
799:
791:
787:
779:
775:
767:
763:
755:
751:
743:
739:
731:
727:
719:
715:
707:
703:
695:
691:
683:
679:
671:
667:
659:
655:
647:
643:
635:
631:
623:
619:
611:
607:
599:
595:
587:
583:
575:
571:
563:
559:
551:
547:
539:
535:
527:
523:
515:
511:
503:
499:
491:
487:
479:
475:
467:
463:
455:
451:
443:
439:
431:
427:
419:
415:
407:
403:
395:
391:
383:
379:
371:
367:
359:
355:
347:
343:
338:
333:
332:
316:
312:
307:
285:
218:
198:
163:
158:
96:
75:
12:
11:
5:
1042:
1040:
1032:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1006:
1005:
1002:
1001:
996:
989:
988:External links
986:
985:
984:
980:New York Times
970:
969:
965:New York Times
955:
954:
940:
939:
925:
924:
910:
909:
892:
891:
873:
872:
866:
850:
849:
828:
825:
822:
821:
809:
797:
785:
781:Weinraub2 1976
773:
769:Weinraub2 1976
761:
757:Weinraub1 1976
749:
745:Weinraub1 1976
737:
725:
713:
709:Weinraub1 1976
701:
689:
677:
665:
653:
649:Weinraub1 1976
641:
629:
625:Weinraub1 1976
617:
613:Weinraub2 1976
605:
601:Weinraub1 1976
593:
581:
569:
557:
545:
533:
521:
509:
497:
485:
473:
461:
449:
437:
425:
413:
409:Weinraub1 1976
401:
389:
385:Weinraub1 1976
377:
365:
353:
349:Weinraub1 1976
340:
339:
337:
334:
331:
330:
309:
308:
306:
303:
302:
301:
296:
291:
284:
281:
226:Holden Roberto
217:
214:
197:
194:
186:David Stirling
171:Special Branch
162:
159:
157:
154:
124:was a British
117:
116:
113:
109:
108:
105:
101:
100:
97:
94:
91:
90:
76:
73:
70:
69:
63:United Kingdom
60:
56:
55:
52:
48:
47:
44:
40:
39:
36:
32:
31:
23:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1041:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
991:
987:
981:
977:
972:
971:
966:
962:
957:
956:
951:
947:
942:
941:
936:
932:
927:
926:
921:
917:
912:
911:
906:
899:
894:
893:
888:
884:
880:
875:
874:
869:
867:0-86245-113-2
863:
859:
858:
852:
851:
839:
835:
831:
830:
826:
818:
813:
810:
806:
801:
798:
794:
789:
786:
782:
777:
774:
770:
765:
762:
758:
753:
750:
746:
741:
738:
734:
729:
726:
722:
717:
714:
710:
705:
702:
698:
693:
690:
686:
681:
678:
674:
669:
666:
662:
657:
654:
650:
645:
642:
638:
633:
630:
626:
621:
618:
614:
609:
606:
602:
597:
594:
590:
589:Campbell 1978
585:
582:
578:
577:Campbell 1978
573:
570:
566:
565:Campbell 1978
561:
558:
554:
553:Campbell 1978
549:
546:
542:
537:
534:
530:
525:
522:
518:
517:Campbell 1978
513:
510:
506:
505:Campbell 1978
501:
498:
494:
493:Campbell 1978
489:
486:
482:
481:Campbell 1978
477:
474:
470:
469:Campbell 1978
465:
462:
458:
453:
450:
446:
445:Campbell 1978
441:
438:
434:
433:Campbell 1978
429:
426:
422:
421:Campbell 1978
417:
414:
410:
405:
402:
398:
393:
390:
386:
381:
378:
374:
373:Campbell 1978
369:
366:
362:
357:
354:
350:
345:
342:
335:
328:
324:
320:
314:
311:
304:
300:
297:
295:
292:
290:
287:
286:
282:
280:
278:
274:
268:
266:
262:
258:
254:
250:
246:
242:
233:
229:
227:
223:
216:War in Angola
215:
213:
211:
205:
201:
195:
193:
191:
187:
182:
180:
179:Control Risks
176:
172:
168:
160:
155:
153:
151:
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
114:
110:
106:
102:
98:
92:
88:
84:
80:
77:
71:
68:
64:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
37:
33:
30:
29:security firm
27:
24:
20:
982:. p. 7.
979:
967:. p. 1.
964:
949:
934:
919:
907:(433): 7-11.
904:
886:
882:
856:
842:. Retrieved
837:
812:
800:
788:
776:
764:
752:
740:
728:
716:
704:
692:
680:
668:
656:
644:
632:
620:
608:
596:
584:
572:
560:
548:
536:
524:
512:
500:
488:
476:
464:
452:
440:
428:
416:
404:
392:
380:
368:
356:
344:
313:
277:Luanda Trial
269:
238:
219:
207:
203:
199:
183:
164:
142:Royal Marine
138:British Army
121:
120:
59:Headquarters
22:Company type
697:Walker 1976
685:Hoover 1977
190:Middle East
134:paratrooper
132:, a former
74:Area served
1008:Categories
844:2022-10-08
827:References
805:Hills 1976
793:Hills 1976
733:Hills 1976
299:Arms trade
169:(SAS) and
161:Background
130:John Banks
95:Key people
336:Citations
196:Formation
67:Sandhurst
950:Guardian
920:Newsweek
905:Time Out
838:BBC News
817:BBC 1976
325:-backed
283:See also
257:Kinshasa
253:Brussels
112:Services
104:Products
35:Industry
935:The Age
273:The Age
265:Antwerp
224:(FNLA)
156:History
136:of the
51:Founder
43:Founded
864:
840:. 1976
323:Soviet
241:London
181:Ltd).
87:Angola
79:Africa
901:(PDF)
319:Cuban
305:Notes
261:Zaire
889:(2).
862:ISBN
327:MPLA
321:and
46:1975
251:to
1010::
978:.
963:.
948:.
933:.
918:.
903:.
885:.
881:.
836:.
279:.
85:,
65:,
952:.
887:9
870:.
847:.
819:.
699:.
89:)
81:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
