Facebook photos and pub talk led Defence Forces to investigate Libya training

The discovery that departing and former Irish soldiers were providing special forces training to a Libyan warlord sent shock waves through the senior ranks of the Defence Forces last year.

It led to the involvement of An Garda Síochána and military intelligence.

As revealed in today’s Irish Times, a company run by former members of the elite Army Ranger Wing has been recruiting serving and retired Defence Forces personnel to run a training programme for Khalifa Haftar, the Russian-backed strongman who controls east Libya.

[ Explainer: Who is Khalifa Haftar and what is the UN arms embargo on Libya?  ]

Senior officers first learned of the activity of Irish Training Solutions last year through the Facebook updates of one former soldier who posted photos of himself in Libya in military gear.

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Confirmation came when the former soldier visited home and was heard talking about his work in the pub while meeting serving Defence Forces personnel.

These comments were passed up the ranks and military management quickly implemented several measures to determine the extent of involvement of Irish personnel in the activity of the Irish Training Solutions, a company based in Co Offaly.

Senior Defence Forces personnel were deeply concerned about the reputational risks to the military and the State if former or serving Irish soldiers were found to be training Haftar’s troops, especially if those soldiers came from the elite Army Ranger Wing unit.

These reputational concerns were particularly acute in light of the fact that an Irish Naval Ship had just been involved in an EU operation in the Mediterranean to enforce an UN arms embargo on Libya.

[ The Irish soldiers who trained a rogue general’s army in Libya ]

At one stage before the Irish ship departed, consideration was given to placing a small number of Army Ranger Wing personnel on board. They would have been responsible for boarding and searching ships suspected of carrying weapons. In the end, the rangers were not deployed on the mission.

J2, the Defence Forces’ secretive intelligence branch, was tasked with finding out more information about activities of Irish Training Solutions in Libya, while the Garda Crime and Security branch were also alerted to the issue.

A general routine order forbidding Defence Forces members from using their military skills for private gain was reissued last year in response to activities discovered in Libya. Unit commanders were instructed that they should make it clear to troops that it is an offence under military law to engage in private military training.

The order was reissued on the direction of Chief of Staff Lieut Gen Seán Clancy.

One of the most pressing concerns was that departing members may have taken military supplies from Defence Forces stores for use in Libya. A full audit of all Defence Forces equipment was carried out. It found no discrepancies.

“If Irish military equipment, even non-lethal supplies, turned up out there it would have been extremely embarrassing,” said one military source.

Investigations determined that although a significant number of former Defence Forces members had travelled to Libya, most had resigned from their posts before departing.

Departing Defence Forces personnel are subject to military law for six months after they leave. In some cases former soldiers went to work for Irish Training Solutions within this period.

However, it was determined they could not face charges as the six-month period is designed only to charge people with an offence committed while on active duty with the Defence Forces.

Despite extensive investigations, no serving or former member is expected to face court martial over their involvement, sources said.

It is also unlikely there will be charges in the civilian courts.

Garda detectives were involved in monitoring the activities of some of the former soldiers. In one case, they questioned a former soldier before he departed for Libya. Following this, the man opted not to travel.

In a statement, the Garda confirmed its involvement in the investigation but declined to go into detail.

“An Garda Síochána is aware of speculation about the presence of individuals associated with the Irish Defence Forces (Óglaigh na hÉireann) in Libya in the recent past,” said the Garda.

“An Garda Síochána has engaged with Defence Forces authorities as part of a process of understanding the facts. Engagements are ongoing. At this point, nothing has emerged to suggest a breach of Irish criminal law.”

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