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Iraq bomber 'targeted VIP unit'
29/01/2004 07:13 - (SA)
Erika Gibson, Beeld
Pretoria - The offices of a diplomatic-protection service at the Shahine Hotel in Baghdad were apparently the target of Wednesday's massive suicide-car bombing.
It claimed the lives of at least seven people, including one South African.
Frans Strydom, a former security policeman from Pretoria, died in the explosion. A fellow South African, Deon Gouws, was critically injured.
Another four South Africans, whose identities have not yet been released, were also injured.
Strydom and the other South Africans were employed by Erinys Iraq, said a spokesperson for Erinys Africa in Johannesburg.
The diplomatic protection services company is a special unit of the "new" Iraqi police force.
Until recently, members comprised mainly foreigners, but they have been training Iraqis in the past few months to take over the work.
A South African from Erinys Africa, who was until recently involved in supplying security services to Iraq, said he thought the bomb was a warning aimed at foreigners who used the company's services. He said the company targeted was called SAS International.
Protected oil pipelines and VIPs
SAS was subcontracted by Erinys Iraq to establish BBP protection services, said the Erinys Africa spokesperson.
Erinys International is a British company with various independent divisions, including Erinys Iraq and Erinys Africa.
The spokesperson said the company specialised in risk analysis, speciality protection services and, in Iraq, the protection of oil pipelines and VIPs.
In September last year, Erinys Iraq was granted a R290m pipeline contract. It is expected that 6 500 Iraqis will be trained to take over the task themselves.
Most of Erinys's employees are former police officers or ex-defence force personnel.
Erinys Iraq has refused to comment on Wednesday's bombing.
A staff member manning Baghdad's operation centre said "things are too chaotic at the moment. We will release more information tomorrow (Thursday)".
According to Sapa, the car bomb exploded in front of the hotel shortly before 07:00.
The suicide bomber, who drove the car, also died in the explosion. At least five Iraqis were killed in the blast.
According to Erinys Africa, it pulled out of Iraq at the end of December because it was simply too dangerous to even walk the streets of Baghdad.
The company's spokesperson said security experts had been expecting the blast.
Situation has turned volatile again
"The United Nations has a delegation in Iraq. They will decide whether it is safe enough for the organisation to return.
The company's spokesperson said the situation in Iraq had improved recently, but it became volatile again after news leaked that the United Nations might return.
"It is unrealistic to think the country will be ready for general elections by June.
"The volatile conditions are being fanned by extremists who have their own agendas and these do not include Westerners."
- Beeld
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