Maltese police intercept British private military contractors en route to Libya

Dec 15, 2022 | International actors

On 15 December, the Maltese newspaper MaltaToday reported that a group of 14 British private military contractors (PMCs) were intercepted by Maltese police on 10 December before boarding a private flight to Libya. The men were later released without charge, but they were not permitted to travel to Libya via Maltese airspace. Reportedly, they have since left Malta. According to MaltaToday, the Maltese police had acted on a tip-off about the group and had suspicions that the individuals were either PMCs or mercenaries. MaltaToday reported that undisclosed sources revealed that the group were travelling to Libya to give lectures and training on using airsoft guns. However, the flight coordinator reportedly found these claims were ‘not true’. The flight coordinator also reportedly found fake certificates that were to be awarded for the supposed training. The group apparently also claimed they were delivering medical training in Libya and provided information to the UN to confirm this. The group was led by Jack Mann, Founder/CEO of Alma Risk and reportedly one of Prince Harry’s closest friends. Alma Risk is a London-based security risk management firm that offers ‘a diverse range of security and risk management services to corporate and private clients across all global environments’. MaltaToday reported that the 14 men apprehended by the Maltese police were former British army soldiers. Alma’s website advertises that its employees have ‘backgrounds in the UK military, police and other specialised government agencies’. Alma Risk has received ISO 9001 certification and is endorsed by the British Armed Forces Covenant, which supports serving military personnel, service leavers, veterans and their families.