NZ bodyguards advised to avoid Iraq

By KEVIN TAYLOR and HELEN TUNNAH

Don't - that's the message from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to anyone thinking of going to Iraq.

The upsurge of violence is forcing a Hamilton security firm to review its plan to send bodyguards to work in the country after its advertising attracted 600 applications for the jobs.

A ministry spokesman said yesterday that the "extreme risk" travel advisory on Iraq had been in place for some time.

The warning meant Kiwis should not go to Iraq and anyone there should leave.

The ministry knew of a "handful" of New Zealanders in Iraq but it did not claim to have comprehensive knowledge of every Kiwi who was there, the spokesman said. He would not say what they were doing in Iraq, citing privacy.

The continuing violence has forced Hamilton's Red Key Security to review its plans to send bodyguards to Iraq.

Managing director Terry Phelan advertised in North Island newspapers over the last few months and received an "incredible" 600 replies, including some from people with police and military backgrounds. Bodyguards can earn $600-plus a day in Iraq.

He said his company lost a tender to supply up to 60 bodyguards to work with the Coalition Provisional Authority, but he was negotiating with United States and English companies for other work.

However, the former police diplomatic protection squad member said he was reviewing his plans in light of the worsening situation.

"You've got to take the warnings seriously. I'm not saying I'm not going to do it, but I'm also saying to you I'm looking at the implications because I don't really want to have dead people on my hands."

Mr Phelan was "blown away" by news that all security operations in Iraq had been incurring casualties in the latest troubles.

A police spokesman yesterday could not say how many - or even if any - police had taken leave without pay over the last year to work in Iraq.

The spokesman said Commissioner Rob Robinson late last year issued a memo to officers reminding them of secondary employment rules after reports some police may have gone to Iraq on leave without pay.

"Since then nothing's changed," the spokesman said.

"If anybody's gone over since then they would have resigned, and once they resigned what they do is entirely up to them."

New Zealand's troops in Iraq have continued reconstruction work despite escalating tensions in and around the southern port city of Basra where they are based.

Lieutenant-Colonel Ants Howie said two teams were installing freshwater facilities at schools, near their camp with British forces at Iraq's former naval academy, now called Fortress Lines.

However, because of an increase in "no-go" zones, the numbers of soldiers able to be sent to each project had increased as a concession to the increased risks following an uprising among Shia Muslim followers of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

"That allows us to work in greater numbers, and just make sure we've got our own security protection around where we are working.

"We don't feel particularly threatened right now and we're going about our business."

About 60 engineers and support staff went to Iraq last month as part of New Zealand's second deployment of soldiers working on reconstruction. They remain based with British forces, who are part of the US coalition.

Meanwhile the frigate Te Mana should be on-station in the Gulf of Oman and North Arabian sea next week as part of the anti-terrorism Operation Enduring Freedom.

Commanding officer Andy Watt told the Herald from the Indian Ocean yesterday the crew were missing their families but were keen to get on with their four-month patrol.

About 65 per cent of the 174-strong crew had already taken part in previous deployments to the region as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"We have a great deal of experience in this operation and we are fully prepared," he said.

The frigate, which sailed last Wednesday from Fremantle, would arrive back in New Zealand in early September.

Iraq - who's there?

* About 60 Defence Force personnel are doing reconstruction work in the Basra area.

* The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says a "handful" of other Kiwis are in Iraq. It won't say what they were doing there.

* A police spokesman knows of no serving officers in the country.

Herald Feature: Iraq