Military contractor sacks murder suspect

LONDON - The parents of a British military contractor with a history of mental health problems who is facing the death penalty in Iraq after shooting dead two colleagues said last night that they feared their son was being "hung out to dry" by his former employers.

The security giant ArmorGroup was accused by supporters of "walking away" from Daniel Fitzsimons, who has been in custody since August accused of the premeditated murder of his ArmorGroup colleagues Paul McGuigan and Darren Hoar, and injuring Iraqi worker Arkhan Mahdi, after a drunken row.

The company said he had been dismissed for gross misconduct while another man, thought to have been present on the night of the shootings, was also sacked. It is understood he had been drinking and was caught in possession of alcohol.

Three other members of staff responsible for screening new recruits had resigned, the company said. Fitzsimons, 29, was suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety attacks and flashbacks before going to Iraq but screening procedures had failed to pick this up. The incident happened 36 hours after returning to the country.

His condition was revealed in a psychiatric report just months before he was hired by the security firm, which also provides personnel to safeguard British interests in Afghanistan as part of a £17 million ($40 million) contract with the Foreign Office.

Fitzsimons's stepmother Liz told the Independent yesterday: "This is a shock to the family. We thought they had a duty of care to Daniel. We had a meeting with them last week and we are worried about him being hung out to dry and who will feed him in prison."

Before joining ArmorGroup, Fitzsimons had been dismissed by two other security firms, Aegis and Olive, on one occasion for "extreme negligence".

When he was taken on by ArmorGroup he was on bail awaiting trial for assault in Manchester.

Details of his mental condition prompted senior MPs to demand that companies recruiting private security personnel be responsible by law for their employees' wellbeing.

Last night the Fitzsimons's local MP, Jim Dobbin, who has raised the case with Foreign Office Minister Ivan Lewis, accused ArmorGroup of abandoning its responsibilities to its employee.

He said: "You must question their employment practices and for them to be walking away at a crucial time like this is absolutely irresponsible. They have been part of the process right from the word go."

The former member of the 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment had served in Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan. He left the Army in 2004 after punching an officer while suffering from combat stress. But after struggling to return to civilian life he signed up as a security guard and was sent back to Iraq where he was exposed to heavy violence.

ArmorGroup is part of the vast G4S group, which last month reported a half-year turnover up more than 10 per cent to £3.5 billion. G4S is vying for a new £20 million contract with the Foreign Office.

- INDEPENDENT