Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — An Israeli company was said to have been contracted to protect Egypt’s Suez Canal.

A British group, Arab Organisation for Human Rights, has asserted that an Israeli company was hired to help protect the Suez Canal and other points along the Red Sea from piracy and insurgency attacks.

The company was identified as Seagull Maritime Security, owned and operated by former Israeli Navy commanders.

“The company is one of very few whose security personnel are permitted to disembark fully armed on the Egyptian-administered island of Tiran,” the group said on Nov. 5.

Seagull was said to operate in Israel, Malta, Republic of
Cyprus, Greece, Ukraine and several Arab states. The Arab countries were identified as Egypt, Jordan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

“AOHR further revealed that this was not the only company managed by
army veterans which operates in the region, thus posing a great threat to
national security,” the group said.

The assertion by the British group was reported by Qatar’s A-Jazeera
satellite channel. Seagull, based in Malta, did not confirm the report and
refused to identify any of its owners.

A partner of Seagull, Nigeria’s Trinity Services, however, identified
Seagull’s principles as former Israel Navy commander Vice Adm. Ami Ayalon
and Navy commando chief Capt. Kfir Magen. Seagull was said to be a
subsidiary of Israel’s Shahaf Security Group.

“[The company] offers security and anti-piracy services for vessels
transiting the high risk areas of the Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean and the
Red Sea,” Seagull said on its website.

On Nov. 20, the Egypt’s state-owned Suez Canal Authority denied that any
Israeli company was contracted to protect the waterway. In a statement, the
authority said only Egyptian military and security bodies were authorized to
operate in the area.

  island of Tiran, Report: Egypt hires Israeli firm to protect Suez Canal, Seagull Maritime Security