More Embassy Contract Fallout

By Robert Brodsky

The Project on Government Oversight has learned that one of the whistleblowers who helped expose the guard scandal at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul has been forced to resign. The whistleblower's company, RA International, is a Dubai-based food service provider at Camp Sullivan, the base where guards from the private security contractor, ArmorGroup, North America, lived and where much of the alleged debauchery occurred.

According to POGO, RA International "came to believe that [the employee] had reached out to D.C. for assistance" in regards to the behavior of some of the guards. The worker had been responsible for taking the statement of an Afghan national who alleged that he was accosted by an ArmorGroup supervisor in a dining hall several weeks ago.

RA International reportedly told the employee that he could resign or be fired - meaning that a notation would be put in his file citing his dismissal, potentially hurting his future employment opportunities, POGO said. The whistleblower reportedly agreed to resign.

POGO said that it has documents backing the employee's claim that he was forced to resign. The company, however, told the watchdog group that the resignation was voluntary.

A United States phone number for RA International does not appear to be in service and efforts by Government Executive to reach the firm were not successful.

Documents obtained by POGO show that RA International lists ArmorGroup as a client. It is not clear, however, if RA International is a subcontractor to ArmorGroup.

POGO is calling on the State Department to "take immediate action to protect both the physical and employment security of whistleblowers who have stepped forward with allegations of serious misconduct involving ArmorGroup, North America."