Irish Ranger saves lives in Nairobi Mall

Be like Nutella

"....the ex-soldier was about to leave the mall when the attack began and he ran back inside with a former British soldier.They were provided with guns by two Asian men and the four ran into an underground car park where they found over 200 shoppers and staff hiding behind parked trucks. They brought the group up a ramp onto a street and then returned to the mall where they found another 100 people. The men also helped to bring them out of the mall. But when the two ex-soldiers tried to gain access to the third floor, where some colleagues were based, they came under fire from the roof. They returned fire and moved into a restaurant where others were in hiding.After a further exchange of gunfire, they found another large group of shoppers and engaged with the gunmen again as they brought them to safety.The close friend told the Irish Independent last night: "They left no one behind."In escorting those people from the premises they took more fire from the upper floor before escaping."This man then spent three hours using his paramedical training to help the injured, including people who had been shot or hit by hand grenade shrapnel, and then turned restaurant tables into temporary stretchers to shuttle them to safety."His skills saved the lives of many. Eye witness accounts say he did an extraordinary job", the friend added.The former soldier spent several years in the Army Ranger Wing. "


http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/mystery-irish-hero-saved-hundreds-in-nairobi-29608137.html

Irish Rangers... I always heard from people they were seriously bad ass... fair play to these boys. I have images of the two lads from Strike Back except this was real and hundreds of lives were at stake.

Hedgemeister

Not like the Indo to praise Irish soldiers, but well done to those two guys.

bobbysands81

Were these ex soldiers mercenaries?

They had colleagues on third floor?

An Asian man just happened to hand the lads a few guns, that sounds weird, was there a mercenary base in the Shopping Centre?

Be like Nutella

seems like they were mercs yeah.... or private mil contractors or whatever you'd like to call them. I wouldn't judge them yet without facts about what they actually do in Africa... probably just highly paid bodyguards. Wouldn't be in their interest to be on the front page of the Indo though. Seems like the Journalist made a deal to that effect... possibly to get an exclusive further down the road? I'd love to know more about what happened and what part this Irish guy played.

If they were American there'd be script in the making right now and CNN would be tracking them down with a bag of gold for an exclusive which would end up as an hour long reconstruction.

Lemming

A couple of the UK papers (I do note one source as being the daily fail), had mention of a former SAS member escorting a lot of people out involving several trips back into the building, after having been caught up in the event. So could be the other half of the above story.

Regardless, brave men; and a lot of people owe them a measure of gratitude that can never be expressed in words.

Be like Nutella

I'd say you're bang on there. Doubt we'll be seein him on the Late Late any time soon though.

goldie fish

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Were these ex soldiers mercenaries?

They had colleagues on third floor?

An Asian man just happened to hand the lads a few guns, that sounds weird, was there a mercenary base in the Shopping Centre?

Hedgemeister

The Mercenary / Irish Ranger / SAS Base is on the middle floor next to Aldi, which in reality is the secret Grey Alien Time Tunnel...oops, I've let the cat outa the bag there.

All should be back to 'normal' tomorro in the Indo...Irish soldier caught drink driving, speeding past a school, suspect in this or that crime...

Armadillo

Uk media saying this is the guy.

[MOD]Removed the image, I dont know if you took this image from web or elsewhere but I'm sure there's a very good reason why the original was blurred out so its preferable not to post it here[/MOD]

Lemming

Picture I saw from the UK media had his face blurred out - so you might want to consider your source and whether it's appropriate to post it here - and was ex-SAS.

iceage

Flippin good drills that man.

raymann

maybe the first bit of action hes seen?

being in that sort of situation as a fully trained person must be a strange paradox of not wanting to be there but knowing that you can make a life changing difference to the people around you. its one thing working under orders and another just doing it because of where you happen to be at a particular point in time.

bobbysands81

Hedgemeister wrote: »

The Mercenary / Irish Ranger / SAS Base is on the middle floor next to Aldi, which in reality is the secret Grey Alien Time Tunnel...oops, I've let the cat outa the bag there.

All should be back to 'normal' tomorro in the Indo...Irish soldier caught drink driving, speeding past a school, suspect in this or that crime...

So why do you think an Irish ex-Army Ranger and ex Brit SAS soldier were taking guns from an Asian man and using them to help their colleagues in a shopping centre that was being attacked?

Hedgemeister

Maybe it was because it was the right thing to do?

I'd probably have done the same thing myself in a similar situation (being an ex-Ranger also)
What both men were doing in a shopping centre in Nairobi I've no idea.

goldie fish

Shopping perhaps?

donaghs

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Were these ex soldiers mercenaries?

They had colleagues on third floor?

An Asian man just happened to hand the lads a few guns, that sounds weird, was there a mercenary base in the Shopping Centre?

Sounds weird at first, but reading a bit more about at the weekend it starts to make more sense. Apparently people's first emergency response there isn't to call the Police, as they are so ineffective. Wealthy people call their private security firms, and others call friends with guns.

Apparently the first fight-back and rescue attempts were made by a motely mix of private security and have-go-heroes, and some police who happened to be there went the terrorists attacked. Long before the police and military arrived.

Reckon there's still a lot more to be revealed about this though.

Local-womanizer

What does it matter what he was doing there though. Some people seem to be trying to make a deal out of the fact these men might work in private security.

They most likely are, along with how many other thousands of ex military personnel around the globe.

It would make a good film this story that's for sure.

discus

Hedgemeister wrote: »

Maybe it was because it was the right thing to do?

I'd probably have done the same thing myself in a similar situation (being an ex-Ranger also)
What both men were doing in a shopping centre in Nairobi I've no idea.

OOOHHHH HERE WE GO!

c-90

donaghs wrote: »

Sounds weird at first, but reading a bit more about at the weekend it starts to make more sense. Apparently people's first emergency response there isn't to call the Police, as they are so ineffective.

Not that weird at all if you live in rural Ireland.

Hedgemeister

discus wrote: »

OOOHHHH HERE WE GO!

Meaning ?

discus

You've just outed yourself as an ex-ranger, which I'm assuming is true because I think you've said you're an author too. I'm sitting patiently here on a sandbag waiting to hear some dits!!

Hedgemeister

So what?
'Outed' myself...on an anonymous internet forum!
Anyway, I don't remember being sworn to secrecy.
I reckon there's a couple of thousand ex-Rangers out there somewhere at this stage.
(We haven't gone away you know)

iceage

I bet the lads were just shopping for dodgy DVD's and looking for a decent coffee and a burger. Who gives a fig why they were there, I'm sure the people they led out of that place were only delighted they were there. Right guys, right place, right time and all that.

c-90

Hedgemeister wrote: »

So what?
'Outed' myself...on an anonymous internet forum!
Anyway, I don't remember being sworn to secrecy.
I reckon there's a couple of thousand ex-Rangers out there somewhere at this stage.
(We haven't gone away you know)

What colour is the boat hous in the curragh.....

Hedgemeister

Sorry c90, but I completed my selection course (and passed)
Don't wish to be re-tested on an internet forum.

claypigeon777

The white guy with the greying hair and the hand gun tucked in his jeans is probably either the Irishman or his British former SAS colleague. He looks late thirties or early forties and physically fit. The other white man carrying what looks like a table top seems to have short hair and a mustache like John McAleese or Robin Horsfall would have worn - I would presume the former SAS man served in the 1980s or 90s? - and also looks physically fit. Reports say that they both tended to wounded people using their medical training from special forces so it must be one or the other of the men.

[MOD]In keeping with whats happened previously, any photos of personnel involved will be removed unless they have been censored first. These blokes are heroes, one is an ex pat soldier, they have repeatedly expressed wishes to remain anonymous and that will be honored here. Please post as much information as you like, but no photos unless you blur them first, thanks, feel free to repost an edited image.[/MOD]

Some insight on what the special forces men would have had to do on the spur of the moment.

Be like Nutella

wish I didn't post now - people are determined to show a pic of these guys faces and it's prob not the best idea in retrospect.... blur it out or mod please

claypigeon777

Be like Nutella wrote: »

wish I didn't post now - people are determined to show a pic of these guys faces and it's prob not the best idea in retrospect.... blur it out or mod please

Don't be silly. You can't see their faces. Which is why I posted the photo.

Be like Nutella

fair enough as long as its out there people are gona find the pic anyway... I'd just be wary if I was one of the two lads working in the area that al shabaab might come after me

claypigeon777

Be like Nutella wrote: »

fair enough as long as its out there people are gona find the pic anyway... I'd just be wary if I was one of the two lads working in the area that al shabaab might come after me

If you were a special forces hard b*st*rd like these guys they wouldn't want to come after you.

These are religious fanatics who target innocent men women and children.

When they are up against professional soldiers they sh*t their pants.

Be like Nutella

true that.. men who shoot innocents are nothin but pussies when it comes down to it no matter how they wish to justify it. I'm a proud Irishman but I would put every IRA member (and every UVF member etc) who shot or blew up an innocent during the troubles in exactly the same category as these assholes. Killing innocents is not the last remaining option - it is NEVER an option to a sane person.