Navy warns personnel over Somali security jobs

A NAVAL Service investigation into personnel moonlighting on anti-pirate missions off the coast of Somalia has resulted in one member of the force being disciplined.

The investigation was mounted last month after allegations were made that a small number of the service’s 1,000-strong personnel had taken leave to work for a private company that supplied security on shipping passing through the pirate-infested waters off the coast of East Africa and in the Gulf of Aden.

The private company, understood to be Gulf of Aden Group Transits, was offering lucrative short-term contracts to experienced seamen to guard valuable oil tankers and cargo ships.

Pirates have made frequent attacks on shipping in recent years, particularly off the Somali coast.

After capturing the ships they seek millions of euro in ransom to free both their cargo and crew.

Piracy has become big business in the region, as have measures to protect against it, especially after an American admiral admitted that a 20-plus nation taskforce of warships was simply unable to protect all merchant ships in such a vast body of water.

As the investigation got underway, the Flag Officer commanding the Naval Service, Commodore Mark Mellett, wrote to all personnel warning them that anybody caught serving in any security capacity outside the force risked being disciplined.

A Defence Forces spokesman said: “The Naval Service launched an investigation following allegations that a small number of personnel had been engaged in inappropriate off-duty employment. As a result of the investigation, one individual was disciplined under military law.”

In non-military parlance it means that the sailor was “yellow carded” and could find himself dismissed if he breaches Defence Forces regulations again.

The regulations state that members of the armed forces are not allowed to engage in off-duty employment that is likely to prove detrimental to the best interests of the service and that measures may be taken to terminate or limit the scope of such employment.

It is believed that allegations of moonlighting had also been made against a number of former Naval Service members, but because they had left the force before the investigation was mounted they were not subject to the military inquiry.

“All personnel have been reminded of Defence Forces regulations and the Defence Forces policy with regard to off-duty employment,” the spokesman said.