Mercenaries in Somalia and their history in Africa

With recent news of the activities of the notorious Erik Prince in Somalia I felt it might be interesting to take a look at the recent history of mercenaries in Africa. For those who are unaware Prince has been funding an organisation called Saracen International (Interestingly enough the word Saracen was the word historically the Crusaders used to refer to Muslims who fought them. Macmillan dictionary: “A name given to Arabs and other Muslims by the Christians who fought against them in religious wars in the Middle Ages”).

Saracen is apparently in Somalia to fight Piracy which in reality is just a cover, for their real aim is to fight Harakat Shabaab al Mujahedeen. Piracy in Somalia is based entirely in Puntland (a semi autonomous state in Somalia) and yet they’re planning to sent a 1000 man anti-piracy force to Mogadishu where no piracy exist.

It should also be noted Erik Prince has long been known for his deep animosity to Islam, indeed one of his former employees once remarked that Prince “views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe,".

Saracen International is made up of remnants of Executive Outcome, an organisation with a nefarious history in Africa. The following documentary tells the story of their attempt to over throw president Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo , a brutal dictator who happens to be ruling Equatorial Guinea, a tiny West African nation rich in oil. The plot was hacthed by Simon Mann (one of the original founders of Executive Outcomes back in 1989) & Mark Thatcher the son of the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Here also is link to a report produced by 'Campaign Against Arms Trade', the report is tells the story of Executive Outcomes, the history of their activites in Angola, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana, Madagascar,Algeria and else where in the continent, their deep links the British and South African governments, the resources they plundered and the devastating impact this has had on the people in the affected nations.