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German elite forces involved in Libyan police training scandal

More than 30 members of Germany’s elite police units have illegally been training the security forces of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi.

German elite forces involved in Libyan police training scandal
Photo: dpa

The Germans are police officers, in the Bundeswehr or security experts who spent time in the crack GSG-9 commando unit. “Active officials in the GSG-9 are to our knowledge not involved,” a German Interior Ministry spokesman said.

A Defence Ministry spokesman confirmed that one member of the German armed forces is accused of “training in his free time” in Libya and has been suspended until an investigation is complete.

According to reports in the German media, at least 30 security specialists from across Germany are involved in organizing or carrying out training of security forces in Libya. Eight police officers from North Rhine-Westphalia are under investigation, confirmed state Interior Minister Ingo Wolf. “This behaviour is totally unacceptable,” he said.

It’s still unclear which parts of Qaddafi’s extensive security apparatus the Germans were involved in training.

Former members of Germany’s GSG-9, the country’s elite anti-terror unit, founded a private security company that paid police and others on a freelance basis to do training for up €15,000 per trip. The ex-GSG-9 members set up the lucrative Libya deal two years ago.