Micheál Martin warns ex-Defence Forces members against Wagner-style contracting

Tánaiste refuses to be drawn on whether he was warned by Defence Forces chief of staff about Libya training allegations before Irish Times broke newsTánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin and Defence Forces chief of staff Lieut Gen Seán Clancy. File photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire

In the wake of revelations by The Irish Times that a company run by ex-Defence Forces members has trained a group in Libya, Mr Martin said domestic legislation would be tightened to make it “crystal clear” to serving and former members of the Defence Forces they cannot go abroad to aid militia groups.

When pressed by The Irish Times again whether he was informed by Lieut Gen Clancy before the revelations emerged in this newspaper last month, Mr Martin replied: “I have to be careful what I say.” There they worked as contractors training the 166 Infantry Brigade of Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army, rivals to Libya’s UN-recognised government in Tripoli.

Furthermore, no national security threats had been identified, though sources stressed the review was continuing. It is only if that Garda review identifies possible criminal offences that a criminal investigation would commence, though no such investigation is currently under way.

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