From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Saudi Firm Bombed was Cover for CIA, Once Owned by Carlyle Group, Original Owners Unknown
beautiful work . . .
Published on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 by the Times/UK
Firm Was 'Cover for CIA'
by Ian Cobain
AS BEFITS a company that has been accused of being a CIA front, of recruiting “executive mercenaries” and attempting to overthrow the Prime Minister of a Commonwealth state, the Vinnell Corporation kept a low profile in Riyadh.
Its discreet security fooled nobody, however: the bomb attack was the second it has suffered in eight years. In 1995 seven people were killed. This shadowy corporation is said to have been founded during the Depression. Dan Briody, author of The Iron Triangle, a study of Vinnell’s one-time owners, the Carlyle Group, serialized last week in The Times, says that there is “no publicity, no press releases, no news clippings”.
He adds: “No one knows who the original owners were.”
Vinnell’s work in Saudi Arabia dates back almost 30 years, when it won a contract to train Saudi troops to guard oilfields. A congressional inquiry found that it had agreed a “no Jews” clause. In the 1991 Gulf War Vinnell employees were seen fighting alongside Saudi troops.
The company has helped the Saudis build their National Guard from 26,000 troops to around 70,000.
In the early Eighties Time magazine reported that two employees were embroiled in a failed attempt to overthrow Maurice Bishop, the left-wing Prime Minister of Grenada, and soon after that a former employee was implicated in the Iran-Contra scandal.
Copyright 2003 Times Newspapers Ltd.
Firm Was 'Cover for CIA'
by Ian Cobain
AS BEFITS a company that has been accused of being a CIA front, of recruiting “executive mercenaries” and attempting to overthrow the Prime Minister of a Commonwealth state, the Vinnell Corporation kept a low profile in Riyadh.
Its discreet security fooled nobody, however: the bomb attack was the second it has suffered in eight years. In 1995 seven people were killed. This shadowy corporation is said to have been founded during the Depression. Dan Briody, author of The Iron Triangle, a study of Vinnell’s one-time owners, the Carlyle Group, serialized last week in The Times, says that there is “no publicity, no press releases, no news clippings”.
He adds: “No one knows who the original owners were.”
Vinnell’s work in Saudi Arabia dates back almost 30 years, when it won a contract to train Saudi troops to guard oilfields. A congressional inquiry found that it had agreed a “no Jews” clause. In the 1991 Gulf War Vinnell employees were seen fighting alongside Saudi troops.
The company has helped the Saudis build their National Guard from 26,000 troops to around 70,000.
In the early Eighties Time magazine reported that two employees were embroiled in a failed attempt to overthrow Maurice Bishop, the left-wing Prime Minister of Grenada, and soon after that a former employee was implicated in the Iran-Contra scandal.
Copyright 2003 Times Newspapers Ltd.
For more information:
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/05...
Add Your Comments
Latest Comments
Listed below are the latest comments about this post.
These comments are submitted anonymously by website visitors.
TITLE
AUTHOR
DATE
thanks for posting this info.
Thu, May 15, 2003 7:02AM
Vinnell..."our own little mercenary army in vietnam"
Wed, May 14, 2003 4:52PM
It was legitimate guerrilla warfare, not "Terrorism"
Wed, May 14, 2003 4:17PM
Plus this . . .
Wed, May 14, 2003 9:04AM
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network