Magic Alex - Security Consultant

Security Consultant

In the 1970s, the anti-terrorism industry offered bullet-proof vehicles, bugging devices and security hardware. Mardas set up various companies offering these products to royalty and VIPs, using the former King of Greece as his principal salesman. Ex-King Constantine II of Greece (then exiled in Britain) provided contacts to a half a dozen royal families for Mardas, and had close contact with the deposed Shah of Iran, who had moved to Mexico. The Shah was one of the first customers for the customised bullet-proof cars that Mardas was offering, and was believed to have financially assisted Mardas’ companies.

In 1974, Mardas held an expensive party for the then Spanish heir, Prince Juan Carlos, which secured Mardas a contract. After the assassination of Admiral Carrero Blanco the Spanish royal family thought it should acquire more bullet-proof cars, although one car was shipped to England, where it was parked in Chobham for almost a year as nobody knew how to do the work needed to upgrade it. The second contract (worth over £1/2 million) allowed Mardas to set up new security companies: Alcom Devices Ltd, and Night Vision Systems Ltd (under the collective name of "Project Alcom") in St Albans Mews off Edgware Road, London, to provide a sophisticated communications system for Juan Carlos, so he could be in constant contact with his security services. Mardas employed Arthur Johnson (known as Johnny Johnson), a former M.O.D. official.

The Sultan of Oman ordered six Mercedes 450 limousines in 1977, but quickly discovered that they were not as safe as he had been led to believe. His ex-SAS bodyguards tested one of the cars in the desert in July 1977, by firing at them, but a bullet hit an emergency air cylinder, which led to the gas tank blowing up, burning the whole car. The remaining cars were immediately sent back, with a demand to refund the money spent. King Hussein of Jordan had a fleet of cars that Mardas customised, but carried out a safety test on them with live ammunition in November 1977. One eyewitness reported that the cars could be more life-threatening than ordinary vehicles, as bullets easily pierced the armour-plating, and the thick armoured glass broke into jagged splinters when struck. Hussein ordered that the cars be reverted to their previous state. These failures convinced Mardas and Constantine to look at the growing European market for anti-terrorist protection, setting up a factory in London to produce “bullet-proof” cars in 1978. This was financed by an investment of over £1 million through anonymous Monaco and Swiss bank accounts, which were believed to be controlled by the Shah.