| Abraham Golan | |
|---|---|
 Golan in front of a UAE military aircraft | |
| Born | Hungary |
| Unit | French Foreign Legion |
Avraham Golan, also spelled Abraham Golan (Hebrew: אברהם גולן), is a security contractor, former CEO of Spear Operations Group and Global Strategic Group, and former member of the French Foreign Legion. He is believed to have citizenship in Israel, France, Hungary, and the United States.
Background
According to Buzzfeed, Golan was born in Hungary to Jewish parents. He was educated in France and joined the French Foreign Legion. Buzzfeed reported in 2018 that Golan lived outside of Pittsburgh and had previously lived in Israel. He was a friend of Arkan. BuzzFeed was unable to verify parts of Golan's biography, including his military service, but Isaac Gilmore, former Navy Seal and others said it was clear that he had soldiering experience. Golan is married.
Golan, who sports a full beard and smokes Marlboro Red cigarettes, radiates enthusiasm. A good salesman is how one former CIA official described him. Golan himself, who is well-read and often cites philosophers and novelists, quotes André Malraux: "Man is not what he thinks he is but what he hides."
Daniel Corbett, a former Navy Seal who was employed by Golan, refers to Golan as "Malachi" in his interview with The Team House. Corbett described Golan as a possible veteran of the French Foreign Legion and implied that Golan had done work for the Israeli government.
Dale Comstock, a former Delta Force operative who was employed by Golan, refers to Golan as "AG" in his interview with The Team House. Comstock said he did operations for Golan in South Africa, Mexico, and Yemen. Comstock claimed Golan "lived next to Bill Gates". Comstock said he received up to $100,000 from Golan, unrelated to any operation.
Founding of Spear Operations Group
Spear Operations Group, established in Delaware, USA, initially hired American military veterans and former French Foreign Legion soldiers to fulfill contracts with the UAE in Yemen. Under Golan's leadership, the group pursued the UAE's objectives within the Yemeni Civil War, targeting high-ranking members of Al-Islah, Yemen's Islamist political party affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. The UAE viewed Al-Islah as a threat to its influence and national security interests in Yemen and contracted Spear for covert, targeted operations. Spear Operations Group was dissolved in October of 2018.
Operations and controversial assassination missions
One of the first and most publicized missions undertaken by Golan's team was the attempted assassination of Anssaf Ali Mayo, a leader of Al-Islah, in 2015. Although the mission was unsuccessful, it drove the leader out of the country, and marked the beginning of a series of targeted killings that continued over several months, with Spear Operations Group remaining active in Yemen. The UAE supplied Golan's team with equipment, weapons, and Emirati military credentials, embedding them within local Emirati-backed forces. This alignment, blending private contractors with national military assets, blurred lines between sovereign military operations and privatized military interventions.
Legal and ethical backlash
Golan's work in Yemen ignited significant controversy in the United States, as reports emerged suggesting American citizens were involved in potentially illegal assassination missions. U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bob Menendez called on federal authorities to investigate whether Golan's operations breached the War Crimes Act, which prohibits civilians from conducting military operations on foreign soil. Critics argue that such PMCs lack the accountability of state forces, raising concerns over private military contractors' role in conflicts, potential war crimes, and ethical accountability.
Despite these concerns, Golan has publicly defended his company's actions, claiming they align with counter-terrorism efforts critical to regional stability. He argues that privatized solutions like those provided by Spear Operations Group address security threats effectively, even as international debate around the role and regulation of PMCs persists.
Global Strategic Group
In 2008, Golan was reported to be providing security to energy clients in Africa. One of his contracts was to protect ships drilling in Nigeria's offshore oil fields from sabotage and terrorism. In September of 2008, Africa Energy Intelligence reported that Danny Yatom and Golan had formed Global Strategic Group which would focus on providing security and training for corporations, individuals, and governments, with a focus on the African energy market. The new business, Global Strategic Group, listed a Ramat Gan office tower address where Arcadi Gaydamak also maintained his offices.
Operations in Serbia
Daniel Corbett, a former Navy Seal was held in prison in Serbia for eight months while under investigation for possession of an illegal handgun. Abraham Golan traveled to Serbia with Daniel Corbett in early 2018, according to Serbian news reports. Golan declined to discuss the purpose of their visit to Serbia or Corbett's legal case there. In July of 2018, Corbett's lawyer was gunned down in Belgrade in a gangland-style hit that remains unsolved. It is not known if the lawyer's killing is related to Corbett's case.
Corbett claims he was there to do reconnaissance on a "religious figure".
References
- ^ Roston, Aram (2018-10-16). "A Middle East Monarchy Hired American Ex-Soldiers To Kill Its Political Enemies. This Could Be The Future Of War". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2024-12-19.
- ^ Rozen, Laura. "From Kurdistan to K Street". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2024-12-19.
- ^ From SEAL Team 6 to Mercenary | Daniel Corbett | Ep. 284. Retrieved 2024-12-19 – via www.youtube.com.
- The Team House (2022-11-03). The Murky World of Mercenaries w/ Dale Comstock. Retrieved 2024-12-19 – via YouTube.
- Uqba, Sana (16 October 2018). "UAE hired Israeli mercenary to lead US death squad on Yemen assassination spree". al-Araby. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
- "Spear Operations Group Accused of Training Yemeni Forces to Conduct Assassinations | corpwatch". www.corpwatch.org. Retrieved 2024-12-19.
- Roston, Aram (2018-10-16). "A Middle East Monarchy Hired American Ex-Soldiers To Kill Its Political Enemies. This Could Be The Future Of War". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- Shickman, Ittai (2018-10-17). "The Israeli assassin who teamed up with Mohammad Dahlan". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ Lemon, Jason (2018-10-16). "Saudi-Led Coalition Hired American Mercenaries in Yemen". Newsweek. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- Goodman, Ryan; Knuckey, Sarah (2018-10-18). "DOJ Must Investigate Possible War Crimes by American Mercenaries in Yemen". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- Keller, Megan (2018-10-22). "Warren wants probe into whether former U.S. soldiers worked as assassins for UAE". The Hill. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- Roston, Aram (2018-10-16). "US Navy SEAL Jailed In Serbia". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2024-12-19.