The Film
Directors: Phil Miller & Lou Macnamara
Release date: 8 October 2020
Full transcript available here.
Advance praise from Ken Loach:
“Important, dangerous and must be screened. It deals with those charged with war crimes – and they are in our midst. I look forward to seeing it with an audience.”
The Book
Keenie Meenie Services - the most powerful mercenary company you’ve never heard of - was involved in war crimes around the world from Sri Lanka to Nicaragua for which its shadowy directors have never been held accountable.
Like its mysterious name, Keenie Meenie Services escaped definition and to this day has evaded sanctions. Now explosive new evidence - only recently declassified - exposes the extent of these war crimes, and the British government’s tacit support for the company’s operations. Including testimonies from SAS veterans, spy chiefs and diplomats, we hear from key figures battle-hardened by the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the Iranian Embassy siege. Investigative journalist Phil Miller asks, who were these mercenaries: heroes, terrorists, freedom fighters or war criminals?
Phil Miller’s book presents the first ever comprehensive case against Keenie Meenie Services, providing long overdue evidence on the crimes of the people who make a killing from killing.
Published by Pluto Press
January 2020
Paperback £12.99
Reviews
“Pilots you into a twilight world, where the pioneers of a rapacious industry blaze a trail of death and destruction across the continents, with a nod and a wink from Whitehall. This is the riveting story of HMG’s dirty secret service: an investigative tour de force.”
Jonathan Miller, Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Channel 4 News
“I’m reading this book!!!!”
M.I.A.
“A masterclass in understanding the persistence of colonialism … shows how political writing can go beyond appropriation into a struggle for justice … go buy it, read it, recommend it to others”
Meena Kandasamy, author Gypsy Goddess
“Revealed: clandestine actions of mercenaries during Thatcher years.”
The Observer
“Tells the story of an elite band of ex-special forces who wreaked havoc around the world … lifts the lid on KMS’s activities and the men behind it”
Daily Mail
“The pace and narrative are Le Carre-esque, but made even more compelling by the fact that the events are true”
Joe Glenton, Forces Watch
“Very, very explosive”
BBC Asian Network
“This fascinating, unique and brilliantly researched book is one of the most important to be written on the UK’s postwar foreign policy and provides a major contribution to understanding it.
The book deserves to be widely read.”
Mark Curtis - author and historian
“Remarkable … Miller’s achievement is so welcome: a book that contains close to 500 references and footnotes yet is thoroughly readable throughout.”
Professor Paul Rogers, Open Democracy
“A fine piece of investigative journalism”
Nick Hager, author of Hit & Run
Events
2020 Events
28 January - Book launch, Garden Court Chambers, with UN mercenary expert Dr Sorcha MacLeod
9 February - Panel discussion, Indian YMCA London, with Meena Kandasamy
21 February - Panel discussion, Kings College London
27 February - Book signing, Imperial War Museum
28 February - Human rights festival, Kingston University
6 March - Panel discussion, SOAS University
11 March - Author evening, Frontline Club
30 April - Norway Tamil Film Festival, Oslo
17 May - Carmarthen Bay Film Festival, Wales
10 September - Toronto Tamil Film Festival, Canada
8 October - Online release, Declassified UK with Andrew Feinstein
Special thanks to all our supporters and advisers including Garden Court Chambers, Trust For Research And Education on the Arms Trade, University of Middlesex, Declassified UK, Callum Macrae, Bashana Abeywardane and Vairamuttu Varadakumar.