Martial Arts Intel

"Grandmaster" Alain Cohen

2009-11-23T20:55:00.000+07:00

Claimed in a Black belt issue that he was ex Israeli Special forces.

Claims that Krav Maga is the official system of the FBI, Mossad and GIGN on his website
None of these enterties ever revealed what their official system is.

He calls himself "Grandmaster" Alain Cohen but created his own system and gave himself the title.

Krav Maga security is his own system and is not taught in any way , shape or form in the israeli army.

Massimo Rovalta

2009-11-20T22:37:00.002+07:00

Isn't that our Friend James the "Baron" Shortt on this picture?

It seems the puzzle on liars is all coming together now.

James Shortt has been exposed in a past thread by us for being a liar and fraudster who claims to have been in the Special Air Service.

It seems he gave lying lessons to this person who we are exposing, Massimo Rovalta.

An Italian conman and Walt, an out and out liar.

Mr Rovalta states on his Italian website : http://massimorovalta.it/prova/

"Nell’anno 2009 si reca in Israele come riservista nell’esercito Israeliano IDF a Tel Aviv con incarichi di logistica ed analisi dei rischi in zone sensibili e frequenta ad Herzeliya corsi di sicurezza e antiterrorismo ."

Translation:

"In the year 2009, goes to Israel and serves in the IDF (Israeli Army) as a reservist in Tel Aviv, he was tasked to carry out logistics and risk analysis in sensitive zones and did a course in herzeliya for security and anti terrorism".

It seems his task was so secret in the Israeli army that he is not carrying a weapon and has no insignia or distinction showing to which unit he belongs to. Jobniks carry weapons therefore Mr Rovalta is a "WALT".

He talks about secret services on his website and is so secret that he is showing his face to the world.

-The Israeli army does not take foreigners in its army

-Only one program called Mahal can, and it is for jews and is not the reserves, it lasts a long time.

This Walt obviously did Sar-el which is for foreigners who want to help the army by cleaning army vehicles or packing up boxes or he may have dressed up like so many people stated on this blog.

Apparently teaches some form of something that is supposed to look like martial arts but obviously has no background as showed on his video section.

Martial Arts Intel thanks the person who sent us the intelligence on this out and out liar who should be avoided at all "costs" :-)

Philippe Kaddouch

2009-11-17T06:41:00.001+07:00

Philippe Kaddouch claims to have taught Mossad and Israeli Special Forces but has never provided proof to his claims.

Richard Douieb

2009-11-17T06:10:00.002+07:00

Born in Jerusalem but lived in France until the age of 16.
Moved back to Israel to join the Army.

Claims he got a military diploma from Imi.
Funny that on the picture below he was a green belt and Imi was already out of the army and looks very old.

Richard was born in Jerusalem in 1956 and Imi retired from the army in 1964.
This means pushed to the maximum that he was 8 when he got his military diploma he states he got on his website.

He also states he was appointed by Imi to teach Krav Maga around the world.

Richard taught Krav Maga to the GIGN (French elite unit) and it wasn't long before he was spreading this around the world and on martial arts magazines.
The unit likes discretion and soon found somebody else to teach them as too much publicity was being made.

Richard claims to teach Krav Maga to the Mossad.

Darren Levine (Looks like a Scouser)

2009-11-17T05:50:00.000+07:00

http://www.usadojo.com/take-action/petitions/darren-levine-interview.htm

"Dear Srs.

I will present myself in the end. maybe you know me and maybe you don´t.
anyway it will be very easy to find out about me.

I saw in your site that you started a petition against Darren Levine and its
written there that he came at 1981 to train six weeks with Imi. well,
correction: darren came only for two weeks, and he didn´t trained with Imi.
he trained with Eli Avigzar (RIP) and with me, Untill we found out that all
he wanted was a black belt in krav-maga which in the end he paid to Imi
US$15,000 for it , and with this money Imi established his association of
krav-maga. in the end he never realy learned krav-maga. and if I may add, I
don´t know who you are, but beleive me darren is only half of the problem.

All the best"

Grand Master (9th Dan) Yaron Lichtenstein

"This is the main problem that everyone has with Krav Maga America. The guy running it is darrin Levine he is an american guy who went to Israel with no martial art experiance, it is said he did box a bit. Well he went to Israel and spend no more than 2 weeks during his visit in 3 visits to Israel with no more than 6 weeks of training he purchased his BB from the system founder. he came back here to the US and proceeded to start KM America, but his company did not take off much until the founder of Km died, when the founder died he proceeded to trdemark the name Krav Maga and exclude the same people that help create it and taught it in Israel, when they came to the USA they were threatened with lawsuits that if they taught KM here in the US they would be sued not inless they pay him 500 a month in fee's to allow then to teach and go through his certification program that costs 5000 dollars.he also claims that the system head Imi gave him the right to trademark it here in the US, but everyone's argment is why didn't you do it when he was alive, but instead waited for him to die to trademark it.

There are alot of people that are disputing his trademark, they are winning so far because they had the trademark suspended and now is in a court battle to make sure he does not get the trademark rights, he is also trying to trademark it in Israel, Asia, hasit in canada, and now Europe."

Jonathan Hazzout

2009-11-15T18:40:00.000+07:00

Name: Jonathan Azzout

Website: http://www.haganah-atsmit.com/

As funny as it may seem, haganah atsmit does not exist in Israel and the police do not remember Mr Azzout and the Police do not bring in foreign civilians to teach them defensive tactics.

Jonathan is a French Jew who took some years of Krav Maga lessons.

He teaches Haganah Atsmit which is a system that does not exist.

He claims to have been taught by Shayetet 13 instructors and with Israeli Police.

Ashida Kim

2009-11-15T17:48:00.001+07:00

Ashida Kim is the pseudonym used by Radford W. Davis (born July, 1948), a controversial Florida-based American martial arts teacher and author best known for his books on 'ninjitsu' training published during the 1970s and 1980s. Ashida Kim claims that he has also worked as an extra in a number of movies, such as Armageddon, Waterboy, Instinct, and Angel's Dance.

Kim is not known to be recognized by any official Japanese martial arts scholar or organization. Kim claims to practice and teach supernatural and magical abilities such as invisibility, telepathic mind control, and death touches; he defends these as natural abilities that give similar effects to fictional magical ones.

For example, Kim claims that throwing sand in an opponent's eyes makes one invisible to him; calming one's mind and making the appropriate face discourages an opponent and that placing one's palm on the opponent's chest brings death to duality.

Black Dragon Fighting Society conflict

Kim promotes himself as the leader of the Black Dragon Society form of Koga Ryu ninjitsu, a name of no apparent association with the historical nationalist paramilitary Black Dragon Society of wartime Japan; or the similarly named American martial arts group founded by Count Dante: The Black Dragon Fighting Society; which has since Dante's death , after Dante's death, was under the directorship of William Aguiar. Aguiar passed away in January, 2005.

The Black Dragon Fighting Society is now led by his son, Bill Aguiar III who is co-founder of his own online forum and hosts the Official Black Dragon Fighting Society website.
Ashida Kim's websites were suspended on or about October 5, 2005 when a cease and desist order alleging illegal use of the BDFS trademarks and copyrights was sent to his Internet service provider by Aguiar's lawyer. While he disputes the merit of the claims, which were never tried in court, Ashida removed the offending material from his site as part of a deal with his service provider to reactivate the site, and has explained his side of the story on a "Dojo Politics" page there. Aguiar's group is currently headquartered in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Black Belt program

It has been alleged in an article on Bullshido.net that Kim offers mail-order black belt programs in a belt factory fashion.
Ashida Kim states that he is offering a program for those who wish to have their skills verified. After a martial artist has demonstrated their skills and paid the appropriate fees, he will confer an official document verifying this skill level.
His booklet, Mugei Mumei No Jutsu, translated as "No Name, No Art," includes a black belt certification as well as a "Mandamus" threatening vengeance from "occult guards" and "Astral Spies" if the information in the booklet is compromised.

Bob Spour

2009-11-15T17:18:00.000+07:00

A TELLY hardman who carved out a lucrative career as an SAS hero can today be exposed by The Sun as a FAKE.

Bob Spour built up a business empire bragging about his service with the Who Dares Wins regiment.

Now the TV regular, radio presenter and magazine columnist even runs a skills school dubbed “SAS Survival”.

But SAS sources have confirmed to us that the 56-year-old never even attempted Special Forces selection — let alone served with the elite unit.

In reality, he spent two years as a regular infantry trooper.

But in a recent article about his time in the SAS, he boasts: “I got involved in lots of little frolics around the world.”

Spour — who had a starring role in National Geographic series The Perfect Weapon — could now face a criminal inquiry for fraud.

Last night, suppliers offered full refunds for his DVD — SAS Fight Secrets Seminar.

Spour claims to have served with G Squadron between 1977 and 1984, seeing action in the Falklands War, Northern Ireland and South America.

He traded off the turmoil of real heroes by claiming he suffered trauma over the horrors of the Falklands — which he never saw.

Advertisement

But Spour was less brave when we confronted him yesterday at his home in a well-off Birmingham suburb.

He told our man: “I need to speak to a solicitor” — then ducked back inside after spotting our photographer.

Spour promised to get back to us, but never did — failing to answer his phone.

Sun Security Advisor and real ex-SAS hero Andy McNab said last night: “To claim to be part of a Regiment that gives their lives to their country makes me sick.

“Spour is lying about things he can only dream about.”

Read more:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/2445041/TVs-SAS-hero-Bob-Spour-is-a-fraud.html#ixzz0WvDjSqJj

Moshe Galisko

2009-11-14T21:18:00.000+07:00

Moshe Galisko is a Karate expert who suddenly popped up and became a Kapap grandmaster one day and started teaching Kapap in Beersheva.
He claims he has all the rights on Kapap and that he is the official Kapap organisation.
He claims his father was the founder and taught him everything.

He waited until he was over 40 years old to show the world his secret Kapap martial art.
How very convenient that it came after Kapap Academy came to light....

Major Avi Nardia

2009-11-14T20:33:00.001+07:00

Are the Pieces of the puzzle starting to be complete, just look at that family photo on the left

More Dressing up

"Major Avi Nardia is a former intelligence team member of the Yamam, Israel’s premier counter-terror (takeover) unit, equivalent to the U.S. Delta Force and F.B.I. Counter Terror units. As a member of the intelligence team and the instructor of CQB - Defensive Tactics (known in Hebrew as Kapap – Krav Panim Le Panim, which means face to face combat) he was exposed to many different tactics, training and real life situations."

This is what it says on the internet about Major Avi Nardia.

He has been exposed as a liar and a fraud by many Ex Israeli Special Forces Operators, Military Krav Maga Instructors, Lotar Top Counter Terror School Experts.

Major Avi Nardia may have been hired as a Krav Maga (Not KAPAP) instructor by the Yamam for a short period but has not and never provided sufficient proof that he was a Yamam team member.

Major Avi Nardia was the student of Moni Aizik and a good friend of Jim Wagner, Jim wagner brought him to the USA.

http://www.usadojo.com/articles/krav-maga-not-alone.htm

One of the experts to lodge a complaint against Avi Nardia was top counte terror school instructor Nir Maman.

Moni Aizik and Avi Nardia attempted to lodge a complaint against Nir with the IDF. Of course the basis of their complaint wasn't that he is defamating their character by claiming that they are misrepresenting themselves, in fact none of that was brought up in the complaint!

They alledged that he was trying to use his position to "sell his videos and promote his business".

When Nir was called in to the IDF SF command to defend the claim, all he had to do was present the facts about these two individuals and their claims, including Avi's forged Israeli Police Discharge record (which I will elbaorate on in a minute),

The commanders made a few quick phone calls to verify everyone's side. As is the case, Nir was telling the truth and they beleived his reason of trying to help the public see the truth so the complaint was immediately dropped and Nir was ordered by the command to not get involved with any other matters other than his military matters and to refrain from posting on public forums.
So, some of us, who are friends with him and in the know about this situation have taken over the cause, from a public stand point.
What Avi produced as proof of his claims is the same thing he used to advertise his claims on his website. It was a discharge certificate from the Israeli Police. The second that we all saw that it stated that he was a 'lochem yamam' (Yamam operative/fighter) it was evident that something was not right. The certificate was forwarded to the yamam, who then forwarded it to the Police investigations office that concluded that :

1) it contained false information about his service,
2) it was issued with no command authorization and
3) it was not created through the authorized channels of the police.

"As for Avi being a Major in the army, I can vouche for that, he was issued an honorary Major rank for his reserve duty. "

"Officer/Sergent" Jim Wagner

2009-11-14T20:01:00.001+07:00

Avi Nardia and Jim Wagner (dressed up like a tart at Wingate, Wingate is not military territory by the way )

The Pieces of the Puzzle are slowly coming together....

Sergent Jim Wagner is the person who brought Major Avi Nardia of Kapap Academy to the USA.hmmmmmmm..... Food for thought?

Officer Jim Wagner is being investigated by POW.net (an organisation who exposes military frauds) for falsifying documents and phony military and police claims. The guy who served as an Air Marshall who said he flew hundreds of counter-terrorist missions, was as it turns out, a radio operator for eight months in the U.S. Army (not the SF connections that he boasts) and a reserve police man jailer (not the SWAT veteran that he has confabulated). Jim Wagner is mostly known for his High Risk column in Black Belt magazine and adamantly claims he invented Reality Based Self Defence in 1997.

Hock Hochheim on Jim Wagner:
http://hockscombatforum.com/index.php?topic=4049.0

WAGNER, JAMES
Huntington Beach/Irvine CA

Is shown on the cover of multiple magazines in what appears to be a U.S. Army Uniform including rank.

2. Is using the Marine Sniper School at Pendleton as a reference but was never a Marine.

3. Has a non governmental Marne Sniper Certificate, linked here, http://www.jimwagnertraining.com/aboutjimwagner/documentation.html

4. Constantly refers to himself as Sergeant in reference to his military background while in a military uniform when he has produced no DD 214 to verify rank or service.

Some basic information:
http://www.military-writers.com/jim_wagner.html

http://www.jimwagnertraining.com/aboutjimwagner.html
MORE

12/2008 - Can't Miss reading: http://hockscombatforum.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=3808863357c80ec3480d10093b94992b&topic=4049.0

01/2009 http://hockscombatforum.com/index.php/topic,636.0.html

http://hockscombatforum.com/index.php/topic,4080.15.html

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=72918

Moni Aizik

2009-11-14T19:49:00.003+07:00

All these Martial Arts experts love dressing up in Camouflage gear.

Some Links about Moni Aizik:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10/22/asa_krav_maga

ASA JUDGEMENT:
http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_45208.htm

FORMER INSTRUCTORS SPEAK OUT:
http://commandokravmaga.com.au/forum/index.php?board=4.0

Moni Aizik is closely linked to Major Avi Nardia who was his own student.

Did he teach him anything else apart from Judo?
Moni Aizik has made some incredible claims. His claims were so impressive that people were rushing to pay around £1300 for a 3 day "Instructor" Course.

No skills or experience were required, just the course fee, oh ....... and an agreement to do one Commando Krav Maga Instructor Course a year (anther £1300 or so)

Aizik portrays himself as War Hero, former Special Forces Commando, Former Major in the Israeli Special Forces, Co- Founder of the Krav Maga system and founder of the current Hand to Hand system used by the Israeli Special Forces. All this was seemingly impressive.

However fact was somewhat less impressive than Aiziks fiction...

"I was used to Bullshit in the martial arts, but it became increasingly obvious that Moni was a compulsive liar. "
- Stuart Mcgill (former UK CKM Director)

To be clear, I wrote this article as this sheer deluge of Bullshit directly effects me. I am a Krav Maga Instructor you see. I love the system - the honesty, the bullshit free, tough training. Then Moni comes along hoping to make a quick buck of Krav Maga.
Aizik makes the following claims, though has taken some down from his site now:

1.He is a former Israeli Commando
2.He regularly teaches the Israeli Special Forces - and is flown over to teach them every month.
3.He founded the hand-to-hand system of the Israeli Special Forces.
4.He co founded Krav Maga with legendary founder Imi Lichtenfeld, spending a year 'improving' Imi's Krav Maga system.
5.He is a Counter Terror Expert
6.He survived an ambush of 1000/2000 Syrian commandos (figure changes) and was one of only 4/7 (figures change) to do so escaping from behind enemy lines after killing all the Syrians.
7.He is a former officer of the special forces (Claims different ranks in different versions)
8.Former Chief Instructor of Krav Maga in the IDF
We did some research on Moni Aizik and his extensive claims. We pieced together available information from a range of sources from the UK, Australia, Canada and Israel. We have been in touch with former/current associates of Mr Aizik as part of our research and some Israeli military insiders.

We believe Aizik fabricated his association with the Israeli Special Forces, his role in the military and his association with Krav Maga to dishonestly obtain money from the general public.

Aizik has never been a certified Krav Maga Instructor. He was not a Krav Maga Instructor in the army - has not been trained to Instructor standard with Imi Lichtenfeldt (Sde Or) or any reputable Krav Maga body. In fact until his claims no one had ever heard of him.

This is what we were able to find out. We add that these findings are provisional but we believe they are fairly accurate.

Name: Pino ( AKA Moni) Aizik
Israeli Military identification number: 2166428
Date of birth: 26/06/54
Date of service: August 1972 to August 1975

1. It appears Moni was a NOT a Commando. Aizik did NOT serve in any Special Forces.

2. Aizik served briefly with a regular Infantry Brigade before being transferred to administrative duties.
3. Moni DOES NOT/ DID NOT teach Krav Maga or hand to hand combat in the IDF in any capacity, and is not qualified to do so.

4. Moni does not teach Israeli Commandos and has never done so in any official capacity. He ran a free seminar once which ciovilians and some military personelle may have attended.

5. His methods are not used or recognised by any branch of the IDF and never have been.

6. Aizik was not tasked with updating Krav Maga by the IDF. There was no year long project with Imi.
7.Imi retired from the IDF when Moni was only 10 years old

8. Aizik holds no Krav Maga Instructor certification. Not with the military, with Imi, the founder of Krav Maga or any credible Krav Maga organisation.

9. Until recently, most of the elite units he claims to teach had never heard of him.

10. Moni was not an Officer in the IDF (believed to have left as an N.C.O)

In order to be fair and verify our findings, we contacted Moni Aiziks lawyers via email. We did this on two seperate occasions to give him the opportunity to respond to these findings. If he does produce reasonable evidence to support his assorted and extensive claims we will gladly retract this article. No evidence has been produced.

'Inspection of Mr. Aizik’s military discharge certificate will confirm that he did not serve in the Special Forces, that he has no background or certification in counter terrorism, that he had no contact or responsibility with Krav Maga in the IDF at any time during his service, and that he was discharged from service with the rank of Sergeant as opposed to the rank of Lieutenant or Major as he claims in various publications'
Lieutenant Yuval Aran, Israeli Defence Force
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Moni_Aizik)

The Advertising Standards Authority on Aiziks claims
Moni Aizik was challenged in the UK by advertising standards Authority on 2 fundamental points.

He was asked to provide evidence that he was;
1. A Former Special Forces Commando
2. A Counter Terrorism Expert.

Mr Aizik was 'unable to find his papers' and stated,

"documents that related to Moni Aziks military experience and counter terrorism expertise were considered classified by the Israeli military and were not readily available. Aizik said members of highly specialised units were not permitted to specify which unit they had belonged to or the duties they had performed; to do so would break the military code of conduct."

This is untrue. We found numerous cases of well known Israeli public figures who shared their military units. Including the 'highly speacilised' and counter terror units like Yamam. We also checked with an Israeli Military insider who confirmed this was untrue.

Former Prime Minister Euhud Barak's career and time with special forces - Sayaret Matkal ( A highly speacilised unit) is advertised along with some of his missions including raid on Entebbe, Operation Isotope. These were highly classified missions involving a man who became Chief of General Staff and the Prime Minister of Israel. They are available for inspection on the net. Its all quite legal and common practice in Israel. See ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehud_Barak#Military_service )

Numerous examples can be found in Israel and now on the net. Only Aizik claims he cant even mention the name of his unit.

Similar histories can be found for many public figures including Arial Sharon and his time and missions as a Paratrooper see (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_Sharon#Mitla_incident)

What do the Israeli's Military say about Moni and his claims?
One figure in the Israeli forces went on record officially with the following statement.

"Commando Krav Maga has never existed and does not exist in the IDF in any capacity. Not by name and not by form of strategies and tactics. Kapap included, it existed once from the 1930’s to the 1950’s and has never been used in any way in any area of the IDF since. Both of those systems negate what we teach here in the IDF. I’ve contacted Moni in regards to his claims, and he says he’ll call me when he’s in Israel next time to meet cause he would rather explain everything to me in person…so I’m looking forward to that meeting.
My last and final point I’m going to make here, for those who are interested in learning the official system of the IDF SF…..that system always has been and till this day is krav Maga…..and nothing else! “
SGT/MJR N
Chief Counter-Terror and Krav Maga Instructor
Israeli Defence Force, Special Forces Division
Counter-Terror and Special Operations School

Moni and Avi Nadia complained to the Military about this statement made by SGT./MJR N They complained he was making a public statement as an official quoting his rank and unit. They did not contest the accuracy of its contents in anyway.

We have been in touch with Sgt Maj N. He is not allowed to make further comment on Moni Aizik but confirms he did make this statement and stands by it.

Moni Aizik on Imi the founder of Krav Maga
(Statement from a CKM Instructor)
In October 2006 he told me that he was “not impressed” with Imi Lichtenfeld when he trained him. He said that he “bounced up and down a lot” and was quite limited as a Martial Artist.

This is untrue. The 2 men never trained together - Aizik more recently retracted this to He had met Imi once.

Statements Moni made to his Trainee Instructors - Many not in print. We have retained documentry evidence from witnesses

(Statements from various CKM Instructors and yes we have evidence.)

1. The defence against a downward “ice-pick” style knife stab had changed considerably from the defence that I had learned 1 year previously on my Level 1/2 CKM instructor course. Moni Aizik told me that he had been thinking about this situation on the plane over to the UK and had made up the technique actually on the plane. Later on in the same course I learned that Moni had been talking to other students on the course about the origins of the technique and had told them that he had been developing it Israeli Special Forces people for the previous 6 months.

2. When I first spoke to Moni Aizik about coming down for a seminar (summer in June 2006), I asked him what training he had in Krav Maga. He stated that he had collaberated with Imi Lichtenfeld many years prior and he did some refining of the system. 'That he was a Chief Instructor in Krav Maga."

3. When asked about his Krav Maga background, he said that the Krav Maga we would be exposed to is the graduate level of Krav Maga. I specifically asked him if Imi Lichtenfeld gave him his certification test and he said yes that they had worked together to get this certificate. Note I believe Eyal Yanilov (IKMF) introduced Graduate levels after Imi's Death -

4. Moni Aizik stated to me that and he was the driving force behind Krav Maga in Israel and was a Black Belt in Krav Maga and Judo. I found out later that Aizik never trained in Krav Maga a day in his life.

5. In that time I trained, he said he was a Major with a Special Forces Unit in the IDF called Sayeret Golani 13. He said while he was in the unit they were sent behind the lines of a Syrian force 1000 strong. In that battle he told me he was wounded and that all but 4 others and himself were killed. His wounds consisted of a piece of shrapnel in his eyes.

A source contacted us saying there is no Sayaret Golani 13. There is a Golani 13 which is an Infantry Batallion - not a commando or Special Unit. Aizik may have served there pror to working a Fitness Instructor. The source also informed us Aizik was definatley not in Sayaret Golani during the Yom Kippur war as they had spoken with Officers who had served then.

6. In our first meeting Moni told me and my colleague that he flew to Israel once per month to teach elite Israeli Special Forces. We believe Aizik visits family.

7. I met him at Heathrow airport, his having arrived from Israel. I asked him who he’d been training in Israel – he answered “Yamam” a Special Unit of the Israeli Police Force. I asked him how it went; he said it went well then talked about how he was a little uncomfortable with their right wing and vehemently anti-Arab views.
An insider source told us the Yamam have had no dealings with Aizik and had never heard of him.

8. In our course held in 2008 he briefed the students extensively about the history of Commando Krav Maga and they were asked questions about it as part of their test. This included Aizik being asked to devise a new self defence system for the IDF after the 1973 Yom Kippur War in partnership with Imi Lichtenfeld. Imi retired when Moni was 10. They never trained together and certainly never did a 12 month project at the request of the IDF. In this time Imi was working refining civillian Krav Maga with his senior instructors - none of whom ever saw or heard of Aizik.

9. In our UK courses he talked continually about how his handgun defences had taken 20 years to develop within the IDF and how he had played a part in that development. Aizik has never trained the Special Forces and does not train the IDF in hand to hand combat.

10. Moni stated that one of the Special Forces tests that he’d undergone was to stay underwater for 12 hours breathing through a long straw and occasionally that salt would be pushed down the straw by the Instructors; he explained that the only way to counter this was to swallow the salt. ? Our sources say there is no such test. As a diver I would add that this would be highly unlikley given the diameter of the pipe and likleyhood of inhaling the salt. (Paul Grey)

"When all this came out, I knew logically I had been lied to about everything and that Moni had no credibility left at all. But he is so charismatic we all wanted to believe him."
Former UK Commando Krav Maga Instructor

But I have seen the pictures on his website...
Interestingly some of Moni's images were lifted directly off a website about Israeli special forces called, isayaret.com You will also notice many pictures of Moni in one (now removed) he can be clearly seen wearing a white undershirt. We have been informed this was the uniform of a non-combatant such as worn by a trainer, cook, clerk, and physical fitness instructor. Combat troops are not allowed to wear white.

Moni Aizik with the non combatants white undershirt.

These images had been removed from his websites but some can still be found on the net.

Not a single military source has come out on Moni's behalf from the military he claims to have taught. This in its self is remarkable. Not one single person. . However several have emailed us privately stating that none of Moni's claims are untrue.

But it was on Human Weapon, it must be true
We were informed the Human weapon team chose Moni Aizik as they saw/read his extensive claims on his websites. They did not verify them. They saw his marketing and agreed to feature him.

You will note that Moni is the only person to teach on the episode with no students, or school and selected an isolated location away from from the public. For the person claiming to teach the special forces he had no soldiers, no acces to any military base/equipment

But he survived an ambush by over 1000/2000 Syrians (numbers change in accounts)

We looked into this. There is no such battle documented in any account of the war by anybody on either side. Also the nearest major battle we could find was a tank battle.

So we spoke with a current Israeli Military insider about it. He told us there that the IDF had no history or records of such an event. More so, if anything so significant had happened it would be made a case study to learn from for the future. There is no such case study.

Chief Instructor of Krav Maga..

Moni states he was asked to help Imi revamp the Krav Maga system as Moni he had the combat experience Imi lacked. Imi was a soldier in WWII seeing action across the Middle East with the Chezk legion attached to the British Army. This was on top of his life experiences in Middle Europe and the Nazi gang violence Imi endured on the streets. Extreme voilence where Jews could be beaten stabbed or shot with impunity, This is the gritty, ugly background from which Krav Maga evolved.

This is a million miles from the glossy Black Belt Magazine, Walter Mitty history with Moni in the starring role.

So why this article.
Moni tried to re write history and to make it reflect on him as the real creator of the Krav Maga system, and of course a war hero. Someone even tried to rewrite the Wikipedia Krav Maga page one several occassions. CKM has a huge publicity machine, a huge budget utilising viral marketing techniques on on the net, on internet forums, on youtube and in print.

To Commando Krav Maga Instructors

I am honestly sorry to have to write this article. Its Moni Aizik, his lies and misrepresentation of history I have issue with. But guys, come on be honest. How much credibility can you expect from a 3 day course ? I am sure Moni worked you hard but be honest with yourselves - you need to work like that for 23 days and hold a Black Belt and pass an audition to do Basic Krav Maga insrtructor training. You cant compare a long weekend to the real thing.

Some Instructors knowingly perpetuate Moni’s dishonest statements for their own financial or emotional benefit. I have a problem with this as they are misleading the general public and as guilty as Moni is.

Commando Krav Maga in a nutshell
CKM is a civilian system created by Judo Instructor Moni Aizik. Aizik attempted to associate him self with both Krav Maga and the Israeli Military via his fictional military exploits.

Not quite as sexy as the story Moni tells is it.....

Best Wishes.
Paul Grey

We are prepared to stand behind this article as a true and fair account of Moni Aizik. This article represents our honestly held beliefs. After researching Aiziks public claims, we believe he has been dishonest and mislead people for his own emotional and financial gain.

Further more we believe our article reflects a reasonable and fair account of the reality around his claims.

Our sources are varied and researched and are prepared to make formal legal statements if needed. We believe it is in the pubIc Interest to share what is a reasonable and fair account of Mr Aizik and his claims.

A statement from an Israel SF Instructor

"I am currently a krav maga instructor in the IDF. The name Moni Aizik, who's real name is actually Menahem Aizik has been brought to our attention so many times over the course of the last year mostly by people who just want to know if what he is advertising is true or not. I am posting because the fact is that what Moni has done was create a lot of confusion about what real krav maga is and that is harmful to all instructors that dedicate themselves to krav maga.

No one here is criticizing Moni Aizik as an instructor. It’s well understood that he is a very talented martial arts instructor with numerous martial arts achievements that include being the Israeli youth league judo champion. What we have an issue with are his claims that relate to his association with krav maga and the Israeli special forces, so please, all of you Moni fans, supporters, and instructors we can respect your appreciation and love for ckm, but don’t respond with your ‘go fight Moni, he’ll beat you, and you’ll be sorry’ responses, it does not prove a thing about his claims.

What I am writing here is part of what I know and other parts of what other instructors I serve with and commanders that we checked with know to be fact. There are 2 parts to understand here 1 is the facts about krav maga as it is in the IDF from the beginning to today and 2 is how Moni is connected to krav maga and the army today.

1 – There are 2 official bodies that govern krav maga in the army first is wingate which is in charge of general krav maga for the entire army, and the second is the counter terror school which is in charge of krav maga for the special forces. In 1948 Imi came to serve in the IDF , created krav maga and was the first ramad krav maga (wich means the head of krav maga). At this point kapap became extinct and krav maga became the official system of the IDF. Imi retired from the army in 1968 (he NEVER came back to the army from retirement, as Moni says he was assigned to work with Imi on updating krav maga in 1974!)

In 1968 after Imi, Eli avikzar became the ramad krav maga until 1981, then Boaz Aviram until 1983, then Ilan Yona, then Shachar, and today Ran Nakash. No one on this list knows Moni as being an instructor to the IDF at any point in time.

Krav maga is a generic name for hand to hand combat in Hebrew, but it is NOT a generic system! It is a very specific system with specific strategy and tactics, and that is the system that the IDF uses. What Moni teaches has nothing to do with krav maga and any one can see that. His system may be good or maybe not, I am not going to give my judgement on it, but it is not what is required for the IDF or the IDF special units and the IDF would never adopt a system like that.

Let’s talk now about facts about Moni and his attachment to the special forces today. Moni advertises that he served in a special unit called sayeret. There is no such thing as a unit called sayeret, sayeret is the term given to special units that conduct patrol operations, every unit that is patrol operations certified is called a sayeret. Out of all the people that are real veterans of the special forces that advertise themselves in public, Moni is the only one that refuses to say in wich unit he actually served in. He says that his unit of 74 soldiers was ambushed in the yom kipur war and that everyone was killed exept for 6 and that his unit was disbanded because of this ambush, anyone can check with the IDF office of morakim (wich means historical events, they have the files of all events every unit ever been through) if that is a true story. The Lieutenant Colonel in charge of that office served for 25 years in the army (15 years in sayeret golani) and confirmed that that is not a true story. There was no unit that was ambushed during the war and lost that many soldiers and was then disbanded.

Moni did not serve in an elite commando unit.

He was not assigned to Imi to ‘revamp’ krav maga.

He had nothing to do with the advancement of krav maga for the IDF.

He has been to Israel several times over the last few years and gave complimentry seminars to regular soldiers. This is something that many of instructors from different organizations do. There is nothing official about it and it has nothing to do with the regular krav maga training any units get in the IDF. His system ckm is not use by any units in the army.

Last December Ran Nakash agreed to let Moni come to wingate to do a complimentry 3 days seminar to a few instructors. 7 instructors came, 5 from wingate krav maga division and 2 from a special unit that are friends of mine. The 2 from the special units did not bother going back for the last 2 days because of what they say after the first day they realize it is not a system that is relevant to them.

Moni claims that he trains the army’s sayeret units and the yamam. He does not train any sayeret units, every sayeret unit has their own krav maga instructors, we have ALL got together and discuss Moni Aizik, no one knows him and no one ever arrange to bring him in to train the sayeret units they are responsible for. If in fact Moni did come to train sayeret units it would be done at one place and one place that is the counter terror school (the lotar) it is fact that he has never been there.

As for the yamam, not only did we check with official channels at the yamam, but one of my best friends serving in a special unit in the army has a brother in law that is already 6 years in the yamam as a fighter. NO ONE AT YAMAM KNOW OF MONI AIZIK! He does not train the yamam. When we checked, the head instructor said beside saying Moni Aizik has never trained our unit and does not train our unit, first what sense does it make to bring a guy from Canada to train us when we have our own instructors and to fly to Israel from Canada once a month at around $1200 a flight ticket every time, do you realy think the yamam will pay that money!! The only person they confirm came to do a complintery seminar at the yamam was carlos Newton of the ufc.

Part of the reason why Moni does what he does is in fact because Mr. darrin Levin of L.A. krav maga use to own the trademark to the name krav maga, and that forced many instructors to make up names and stories about their authentic krav maga or made up systems to still be able to teach and advertise. Moni, like a few other instructors went further by trying to also take the attention away from L.A. krav maga by advertising that krav maga is no longer the system used by the IDF and that there are other secret systems. Some of these instructors even claim that Lotar is the system the special forces learn for hand to hand and that their system contains lotar! Lotar is the word for counter terror in Hebrew, it is not a system of any kind, it contains training in counter terror operations like hostage rescue on buildings, buses, and airplanes and shooting!

Although the krav maga that we teach here in the special forces is in fact different then American krav maga, the official system of the IDF regular forces and Special Forces is krav maga and only krav maga.

I hope people will be smarter about what they believe when they see instructors advertising."

Letter from an Attorney :

I am an attorney working with a group of professionals based out of the United States, Canada, and Israel on the Pino (Moni) Aizik situation. All of these professionals are individuals that are actively involved in the Krav Maga community, and that have been affected by Mr. Aizik’s fraudulent claims about his service in the Israel Defense Forces Special Forces and the background of his self created system ‘Commando Krav Maga’ (CKM).

I will give a brief update of the current state of this matter for the purpose of informing those involved in the Krav Maga community and so that the truth of the matter can remain in the public arena.

There is a legal process currently being undertaken by the group of individuals mentioned against Mr. Pino Aizik. As with most legal processes, there are specific protocols that must be undertaken which take time and create delays. Specifically, with this case the delays have occurred for several reasons;

First, the magnitude of this case is fairly large. Mr. Aizik’s fraudulent actions have webbed out to many individuals, organizations, and locations. Meaning that the recourse Mr. Aizik may face will be very substantial, both civilly and criminally.

Mr. Aizik is a father to four children and that was one of the debates the parties involved had to take into consideration. The civil and criminal recourse he can face will more than likely have a lasting impact on his children. This by no means should cancel out his actions and the damage his actions have caused to many, including Krav Maga instructors all the around the world, Krav Maga instructors serving and coming out of service from the Israel Defense Forces who may be relying on their backgrounds as instructors of the ‘IDF’s’ official Krav Maga system to acquire employment, and the name and legacy of Mr. Imi Lichtenfeld, the sole founder of the ‘IDF’s’ official system Krav Maga.

We have communicated to Mr. Aizik a solution that we saw fit to help restore the truth and cushion backlash against him. However, since he is unwilling to take any action to correct the situation, we have no choice but to continue moving forward.

Below is a portion of an e-mail forwarded to Mr. Aizik asking him to correct his mistake, he chose to be un-cooperative to our request, hence our choice to proceed against him.

Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 11:49:19 -0800
From: moni@commandokravmaga.com
Subject: Re: Important message for Pino Aizik
Dear who ever you are,

Please provide a your office address and cell phone number!
Moni

Moni Aizik
Founder&Chief Instructor
COMMANDO KRAV MAGA
ELITE COMBAT FITNESS
www.commandokravmaga.com
www.elitecombatfitness.com
1-416-485-3584 / 1-800-408-9218 (U.S &Canada)

To: Moni Pino Aizik
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 2:28:02 PM
Subject: Important message for Pino Aizik
Mr. Pino/Moni Aizik
National identification number: xxxxxxxxx
Israeli Military identification number: 2166428
Date of birth: 26/06/54

My name is Alon Burshtein, I am an attorney based out of New York, United States and I am representing a group of professionals based in the United States and Israel.

I have attempted to deliver an official letter to you at your previous address: 39 Terra Cotta crescent in Richmond Hill, Ontario, but it appears that you no longer reside at that address and further to information we have obtained, you are no longer residing in Canada. Therefore, we are sending you this e-mail with a pressing message.

We are fully prepared to proceed with legal action against you for fraud based on your false claims which have been advertised since 2002 in relation to your system, formerly known as Combat Survival, now known as Commando Krav Maga supported by the false claims of your military background, which have lead to numerous individuals investing their money with you in trust of your false claims.

We are in contact with several officials in Israel that are prepared and willing to provide expert witness testimony to attest to the fact that you are perpetrating a fraud by representing yourself as a former Israeli commando and asserting your expertise, background and system with the Israel Defense Forces and its official Krav Maga system.

These officials have agreed to a compromise that may be of benefit to you. They want for you to repair the damage you have caused to the image of IDF Krav Maga by claiming you were its co-founder and that your system, Commando Krav Maga, is the official system of the Israel Defense Forces, used by the IDF Special Forces and SWAT teams, and that you train their units in your system. You are being asked to publicly disclose that you and your system never had and donʼt have any association to the IDF or any of the organization’s special units, and to the IDF’s Krav Maga system.

If you agree to undertake this action, and correct your mistake, your official IDF military service record, which states the facts about your official service (that you served from August 1972 to August 1975, released from service with the rank of Sergeant, and served in the positions of a ‘mashak siur’ in a regular infantry brigade for a short period before being re-assigned to administrative duties as a ‘mashak oref’ and ‘mashak ma’arah’, and that you never served in the Special Forces or had anything to do with Krav Maga) will not be released to the aforementioned public. However, should you chose to ignore this request, your official military record will be released to the public and we will pursue an aggressive course of legal action against you and anyone or any organization representing Commando Krav Maga that makes claims that it’s founder (you) were a former Officer and Commando in the Israeli Special Forces, that you were tasked by the IDF to revamp it’s existing hand to hand combat fighting (Krav Maga) system/create a new system for the organization, that your system, CKM, is used by any units in Israel, and that you still train units in Israel in your system of CKM.

This is your chance to correct your wrong doing.

Sent and intended without Prejudice.

A. Burshtein, ESQ.

Second, Mr. Aizik resides in one location, his fraud has been/is being perpetrated in various geographical locations, and is being perpetrated by various means (i.e.; the internet, television interviews, geographically distributed media, etc.), this has created a more complex issue with legal jurisdiction for court filing.
Third, Mr. Aizik has turned his fraudulent scheme into a self expanding and self perpetuating action. Meaning, he created a lie, packaged and marketed that lie, and passes that lie (in his case he sells the lie to profit from it) onto other unsuspecting individuals (individuals who pay him to become CKM instructors) who then turn around and assist him in maintaining his lie and enticing others to give him money to sell his lie.
This means, legally, that although every single CKM instructor doesn’t know the truth about Mr. Aizik’s claims, want to believe his claims, or don’t care whether his claims are true or false, the fact that they advertise his system and his background based on his fraudulent claims in order to sell/advance their business, they are legally just as accountable for civil and criminal liability. In simple English, they are committing the same fraud that Mr. Aizik is.
Our interest is in dispelling Mr. Aizik’s lies and reinstating the truth about Krav Maga. Therefore, anyone who is assisting Mr. Aizik in perpetuating his lies, we will take legal action against as well, so it also took us a bit of time to collect all the pertinent information about every single CKM instructor/school that is advertising Mr. Aizik’s false claims.
Lastly, refuting Mr. Aizik’s claims and disclosing the truth required extensive communication and document filing with the Israeli Ministry of Defense to have his record released. Since he served in the Israel Defense Forces under the name ‘Pino’ Aizik and not Moni Aizik, we had to have investigators research as many facts about him as possible to properly identify and confirm his service record, this had to also be done by locating his Israeli National Identification Number so that his identity could also be confirmed via his Israeli issued documents such his National Identity card and Passport.
We have also corresponded with the Discovery Channel in regards to their segment on ‘Weaponology’ which featured Mr. Aizik and gave him a National platform to publicly advertise his lies. The television show’s research department which found Mr. Aizik, did not find him by going through official channels with the Israel Defense Force nor did they conduct any due diligence into Mr. Aizik’s background prior to filming him to verify that his claims were legitimate, which is standard practice for many television productions.
This is the latest progress on the Pino/Moni Aizik matter.
A.B.

James Shortt

2009-11-14T18:49:00.001+07:00

Here is a link to the lies of "The Baron of Castleshort"
http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/James_Shortt

James Shortt's Genral "Dubious" Claims

-James Shortt has a Papal Knighthood. He is a member of the Irish Papal Awards Association and the UK Association of Papal Knights having been created a Knight Commander of St Gregory by Pope John Paul II in recognition for his work in towards moving the Cold War to an end. This is stated on an IBA Bodyguards Website here. http://www.ibabodyguards.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=47

James Shortt served with B Sqn, 21 SAS. Whilst there he was asked to write a book about the SAS.

James Shortt apparently cannot remember his Service Number. Private Eye 1228 page 28 gives it as 24550634 which is about right for the year. It is a man's number, not an officer's so he got rapid promotion, didn't he? Some of us can remember our wife's Service Number... in fact, Shortt remembers his service number all too well but is reluctant to disclose it as it indicates when he joined the army - i.e., 1980 - and also ties to a service record that is not in any sense illustrious, in that it demonstrates that he did not, in reality, undertake any training at all.

The whole monk thing, as one of the schools he mentions stopped his age group of students long before James Shortt got there.

The whole paramedic thing, as although he was apparently once a SRN, the Paramedic is a more complex subject.

The whole martial art thing, as his credentials are suspect as to their lineage.

The whole "he is the savior of Savate" thing: The Baron of Castleshort is the Patron of the Great Britain B.F.-Savate Federation. In fact he hasn't been heard of ever since that night of 17th March 1998 when he attended the inaugurating meeting...

The whole military career thing, as not one shred of evidence has been provided except for a few outdated letters and some pics with various uniforms on. PCAU (UK Forces Paracute Course Administration Unit) records at Brize Norton show... nada.

The whole baronial title thing, as it (again) is suspect to its legitimacy and recognition with... umm... Burke's Peerage.

The whole honours and gong thing, as not one award or honour can be verified with its fount honours.

The whole Lucien Ott thing - and other so called 'experts' that he hung with in the '70s and '80s, as they too have got holes in their stories one can drive a train through.

The whole IBA thing, as it appears to be a one man show with a few underlings that create websites and have dubious pictures as their proof - and apparently operate out of residential homes and small business parks.

The IBA states on their homepage that they are a Security Industry Authority licensed Training Provider - the SIA denies that claim.

Several of the IBA websites from Eastern Europe bear the logo of the FBI National Academy and the text "FBI National Academy Associates Corporate Partner 22". The FBI have confirmed Shortt was never an FBI National Academy Graduate, IBA have NEVER been Corporate Sponsors, or any way involved with the FBI National Academy, and the Logo on the website is a very bad copy of the real FBI National Academy Logo

The whole castle thing, as it appears that James Shortt likes hotels and golf course for addresses.

The whole Galoglas/Irish Brigade/McCarthy Mor thing as it's been pretty much shown to be a huge con.
The whole dressing up box thing has pretty much shown that he hasn't got a clue... like my gran used to say, 'You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.'

Claims he is a long term active member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. "PA to Sir Ken Jones the Chief Con and Head of the International Association of Chiefs of Police in the UK has checked UK & Irish records, and her colleagues in the USA checked the Worldwide Membership list of the IACP & confirm that James Shortt has never held any membership with the IACP at all."

In one of his on-line CVs, the Baron claims that he is on the UK Register of Expert Witnesses, but his name cannot be found in the on-line database. Quelle surprise!

'As security correspondent for South East Radio based out of Wexford', an agency that denies ever having heard of him. You would never believe it but I phoned South East Radio in Wexford & spoke to the News Team. They had never heard of James Shortt. They also stated that they did not have a Security Correspondent & that all of their News came from INN (Independent Network News in Dublin).

A photograph purporting [by its title] to be of HQ Sqn 21 SAS(V). Jim appears to be holding a Belgian Vigneron M2 sub-machine gun [Where did that come from?] The other is holding an SLR with carrying handle and sling-swivels [a SAS no-no]. The berets are laughable.

He, apparently, singlehandedly brought the martial art of savate (a garlic-flavoured chop socky with ranks noted by an increasing number of onions hung on a string around your neck) to the UK. And, for reasons that escape reason, his 'Gold Gloves'

The Shortlist of Shortt's Claims

To recap his alleged military service and claims of awards and honours: (A more detailed deconstruction of his claimed medal collection is HERE

Military
Them - 21 SAS(V).
Paras - 3 Coy, 10 PARA. See pic at http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/download/id=24442.html
Another fine example of James Shortts dressing up box.
RMR - But a very special and elite unit that are under the auspices of the Army Cadets with para training.
Colonel in Polska Niezalezna Brygada Rezerwowa (Polish Reserve Independent Brigade).
Light Colonel with the Cameroons.
Major with the Latvian interior forces.
Colonel in Afghanistan.

Paramilitary
Commander/Colonel in the LoF (C Ceremonial Sqn until 1997 then reverted to Light Horse Detachment).
Colonel/Commander in the Royal Galloglas Guard.

Titles
Baron Castleshort
Chevalier
Count

Knighthoods
Royal Yugoslavian Order of St John
Knight Commander of Polonia Restituta (2nd division)
Knight Commander of St Gregory
Belgian Knight of the Crown
Knight of Honour of the Imperial Teutonic Order of St. Marys Hospital in Jerusalem

Honours & Awards

Belgium
Cross of King Albert
Cross of King Leopold
European Combatants Cross

Hungary
Hereditary Vitz Rend

Poland
Gold Cross of Merit with Crossed Swords
Cross of Independence & Freedom
Medal of Independence & Freedom
The Piludski and Sikorski Medals

Estonia/Latvia
Estonian White Cross (3rd Division)
Latvian Crimson Cross

Canada
Mentioned - but none named. Believed to be LoF.

New Zealand
Mentioned but none named. Believed to be LoF

Scotland
Bondsman of the Chief

Bosnia/Slovenia/Croatia/Serbia
An unnamed decoration from the Republic of Slovenia.

NATO
NATO Medal (clasp Former Yugoslavia)

Mongolia
Medal of Honour 1st Class

UK
Alleged to have received the QGM in 1977. Shortt hasn't claimed this on any website that I've seen but it's a story that came to ARRSE secondhand. Needless to say, Shortt's only mention in the London Gazette (July 6, 1988) does not relate to any form of honour, award, commission or appointment.

Faculty Appointments
Lecturer on Bodyguard Skills, University of South Africa, Pretoria (right after the fall of Apartheid)
Fellow of the Faculty of Commerce & Industry which can be purchased here

Countries Visited for Special Missions
... at the request of some over-paid Civil Serpent.
Scotland
Ireland
USA
Mongolia
South Africa
Poland
Latvia
Estonia
Russia (Siberia)
Belgium
Cameroon
Algeria
Nigeria
Kuwait
Iraq
Afghanistan
Russia
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Pogera
Ukraine
Kazakhstan
Hungary
Lithuania
Cambodia
Thailand
--Niner domestic 02:22, 4 October 2008 (BST)

Special Units trained
Estonia: Special Operations Group, Police Special Reserve Brigade
Latvia: Special Intervention Group OMEGA
Ukraine: ALFA BERKYT TITAN Manguse
Russia: SOBR OMON GRAD
Crimea (sic): SOKOL BERKYT KGB
USA: USAFE 'EST', USMC SRT, Charlie Coy; 10th SFG
Papua New Guinea: Police Reserve MAIP
Cameroon: Special Operations Group
Kuwait: Interior Ministry Unit
Spain: Halcon, CRS18
Belgium: Liege Anti-Bandit Unit; 20 Municipalities and Special Units
Thailand: Royal Thai Navy SEALS
as well as
British Constabularies: Metropolitan Police, Norfolk, Suffolk, Sussex, Devon & Cornwall and West Yorkshire in Police Defensive Tactics, Methods of Arrest and Restraint and Police Impact Weaponry
...
[2]
and than he claims that OTT trained:
Germany: GSG-9, Lucien Ott moved to Munich in Germany and assisted in the training of GSG9 (German counter terrorist organisation) with Colonel Ulrich Wegner following the security fiasco of the 1972 Olympics. but he only mentioned that in his attempted IBA-entry on wiki - so it will be forgiven as mere name-dropping...

Shortt's Short Time
A Rough Timeline:
1953 born on 17 September
1959 - started studying Ryoi Shinto Ryu on 14 Nov[3] - that must have been painful if he remembers the exact date?
1967 - Opened his first dojo at John Fisher School Gym (age 14)[4]
1969-70 - Cadets
1970 - moved to Ireland
1970 - Brought savate to the UK after training with Count Pierre Baruzy (but that's from wikipedia so even more dubious than the usual 'Dubious Claim')- he was 16 at the time.
1970-74 - Religious pursuit in a monastical order
1970-75 - writes 'Beginning Jiu Jitsu', published in 1976 (co-authored with Katsuharu Hashimoto)[5] He writes it at St. Francis' monastery, Kilkenny, Ireland, during his time there as a Postulant monk. For the most part, the book has been put together in monasteries: St. Bonaventures in Cork; the Carmelite Priory at Aylesford, Kent; the Augustinian Recollect Monastery of St. Patrick, Rome; The Franciscan Capuchin Monasteries, Assissi; in Florence as well as the Redentore Monastery on the Isle of Giudecca in the lagoon of Venice. Wow, well traveled monk(ey business).[6]
1972 - runs the Koryu Jujutsu section of Kilkenney Judo club[7]
1973 - establishes dojo at St Bonaventure's monastery, Victoria Cross, Co Cork [8]
1974 - early publication in Black Belt Dec 1974 by "Brother Seamus Shortt" [9][10]
1974 - Took LOA from monastery to do nursing course
1973-74 - Croydon School of Nursing
1974-78 - Mayday University Hospital
1975 - return to the UK; reopens the Croydon dojo in the old Parish Hall of St John the Baptist (RC) Church in Purley [11]; founds the Service Training Team (later Combat Training Team) at Royal Marine Depot, Deal which takes "a pro-active approach to combat skills(CQB, Combat Survival & Combat Medicine). It was responsible for training thousands of NATO and non-NATO servicemen including elite units such as Airborne Forces, Commandos and Special Forces. From 1981 until 1991 the Team specialised in the training of anti-spetsnaz and counter-spetsnaz units."[12] It exists till 1991.
1975 - writes "Jijitsu A synpotic History - By Seamus Shortt" for the Karate & Oriental Arts issue 53, March/April 1975[13]
1975- 82 - Hanging around Deal with Bernie Finan as the Director of Training for CTT and consultant for RM
1976 - Left monastical order after meeting future wife - got married
1976 - "badged" Parachute Regiment, no record of this can be found so far - presumed an Adult Instructor [civilian] with an Army Cadet Force unit that wore the Para capbadge, which explains the rather coy "badged" terminology.
1976-1985 - Head of the Police Defensive Tactics Study Group of the Combat Training Team [14] [aka International Law Enforcement Training Agency - ILETA] responsible for training Police officers from the following British Constabularies: Metropolitan Police, Norfolk, Suffolk, Sussex, Devon & Cornwall and West Yorkshire in Police Defensive Tactics, Methods of Arrest and Restraint, Police Impact Weaponry.
1978 - Senior Protection Officer
1979 - Founder "Comite National de Boxe Francaise - Savate et D.A. La Grande Bretagne et La Irlande" under the auspices of Comte BARUZY and the Federation Francaise de Boxe Francaise-Savate et D.A. (FFBF-S et DA) or in other words: "In 1979 Jim arranged for the first "British" Savate team to visit France for a competition. The group consisted of 18 team members of which 8 actually fought French opponents (Jim, of course, did not take part himself, he just watched the whole team get a good kicking!)[15]" Well done Jim! He also studied La Canne at USM Viroflay (near Versaillais)...
1979 - Wrote "Beginning Ju-Jitsu: Ryoi-Shinto Style" ISBN: 0901764426, RM Deal Combat Training Team RM Deal
1980 - Aug-Oct attached to 21 SAS(v)(#24550634) than: Service no longer required (SNLR)
1981 - Wrote "The Special Air Service (Men at Arms Series, 116)ISBN: 08504539681983
1981 - Training 4 SBS[16], London; RM Stonehouse, Plymouth; Bayonet Pugil Training, Commando Training Center, Belgium
1981 - Wrote "Special Forces Insignia" ISBN: 0853688753
1980-84 - Captain of the Irish-British savate team
1980-83 - Contracted to train units of the United States Army and Air Force
1982 - writes article on jiu-jitsu for nurses in "Nursing Times", April 21, gives address as 486 Brighton Road, South Croydon, Surrey [17]
1982-83 - Belgian anti-gang unit
1982-87 - CTT training for Household Division Centralized Courses (under then Major
Tim Spicer), also trained 1 and 10 Para in 1982, and HAC in 1982 at Pirbright, and PT wing CTC Lympstone in 1982 [18]
1982-88 - instructor to the SAS for unarmed combat, close combat, bayonet and military medicine during selection and instructor's courses in Pirbright.[19]
1983 - January; works for (as Director?) the International Combat Military Advisor Group Combat Training Team ICMAG/CTT [20]; the president of the ICMAG is/later becomes Baron Pierre Baruzzy (aka Count Pierre Baruzy, or Comte Baruzy), Jimbos Savate teacher. Vice President is Lucien Ott [21]
1983 - training Belgian Para-Commandos at Marche-les-Dames [22]
1983-87 - Hanging out with Sir Peter Austin as Director of Projects for Special Training Services fielding counter-terrorist projects in Algeria, Nigeria, Kuwait and the US. Actually, one ARRSE reports that his role was to brief teams that went overseas for that extraordinary company on medical and country intel before they went off to do their thing.
1984 - Wrote "Essential Handbook to Self Defence" ISBN: 0283989912
1985 - Trained Irish Guards HDCC Pirbright; He was appointed a regional scientific lecturer (a senior RSA grade) of the regional scientific organisation of the department F6 of the Home Office, resposible for the training of the scientific adviser of the British regional seats of government in time of national emergency or war. In August 1985, James chaired the military session of the "2nd World Congress on Chemical & Biological Weapons" held at the University of Ghent, representing, no less, the British Home Office. [23]; worked for STS manning a stand at a military medical exhibition in Bloomsbury, London - meets Wouter Basson there. STS reports meeting to MI6 who send Jim on a one day’s NBC course at Winterbourne Gunner,Porton Down in Wiltshire. Basson doesnt buy the story... clever chap.[24]
1986 - Wrote "The Paras: The British Parachute Regiment" ISBN: 0853686998
1986 - Wrote "Uniforms Illustrated No.13: British Special Forces 1945 to the Present" ISBN: 9780853687856
1987-88 - Hanging out with Belgian Para-commando Regt; Home Office SRBD, Senior RSL; The National Front of Afghanistan (NIFA) Mujiahedeen
1987 - Hanging out with Legion of Frontiersmen - National Police Firearms instructor; receives Swedish SF qualification with Swedish FJS and German Airborne [25]
"1988 - current"- Home Office (SRDB) Senior RSL. He claims to have worked in the "little known F6" Branch. It is so "little known" that enquiries led to the result that - "... I have enquired extensively of HOSDB - the actual title of the Home Office research branch Shortt claims to have worked for - and they have no knowledge of him."
1988 - Started fulltime with IBA in 1988 after return fro...[26] ;started the training of (still communist) Polish government and corporate bodyguards [27]
1988 - Wrote "Special Forces Insignia: British and Commonwealth Units: an Illustrated Reference Guide for Collectors" ISBN: 0853688753
1988-89 - Hanging out in Afghanistan with the Swedish Defence Force on Op Mistral [Which I still think was really in the Balkans.]Khost AFG 1988 – the Lordship of Castleshort http://home.earthlink.net/~rggsibiba/html/castleshort/castleshort.html
1989 - Hanging out in Cameroon
1989 - Hanging out in Pogera and Papua New Guinea
1989 - (February) - Hanging out in Russia
1989 - Year's end - started a training facility in Poland and (still communist) Estonia [28]
1990 - He was briefly a "bodyguard" to Lennart Meri in June 1990 but he soon moved on. [29]
1990 - took over IBA when Ott died; started training bodyguards in (still communist) Latvia, and Lithuania [30]
1990 - Swedish MoD anti Spetznaz group instructor
1991 - Hanging out in and working in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan
1992 - establishes the Bureau of Military Training to "provide the training method of the International Bodyguard Association for Military Units"; The "Counter-Terror Group of the International Law Enforcement Training Agency (ILETA) working with the IBA" takes over the training of Special operations units in the former Soviet Union such as 'Alpha','Berkut', 'Sokol', 'Titan', 'OMON', 'Mongoose', 'GRAD', 'SOBR', 'SOG', SIG-Omega' after the CTT is decommissioned. Ukrainian National Guard Spetsnaz School and CAT teams of various Presidential Guards became the full responsibility of this organization.[31]
1992 - Heads the instruction of special "Counter-Terrorist" as well as "Anti-Terrorist" projects in Afghanistan at the "urgent request of the Afghan Minister of Defence"
1992 – IBA finds a representative in the USA – Signal 8 http://www.signal8security.com/profile.html
1993 - works for Prince Karl-Wladimir Karageorgevitch (Nephew of King Peter II) at the royal court in former Yugoslavia. [32]
1994 - Gives interview to Finnish martial arts mag BudoExpress wherein it recounts his service in Northern Ireland and the Falklands War.
1994 - Riga, 1st Bodyguarding Championships hosted by the Interior Ministry of the Government of Latvia, wreath-laying service for OTT, in attendence: a uniformed escort drawn from "C" Squadron of the Legion of Frontiersmen and a military piper provided by the Royal Eoghanacht Galloglas Guard [33]; He was also a guest lecturer on ballistic injury and it`s management to a number of British police forces.[34]
1995 - Self-ennobled, i.e. picked up the baron gig; decides to finally publish IBA doctrine in English - till than all publications were in French and German (none can be found though) [35]
1995 - sends a Mobile Training Team to the United National Forces at Tuzla, Bosnia in the former Yugoslavia to train element of the (scandinavian) United Nations and European Union Forces as bodyguards.[36], [37]
1995 - EUCOM, Stuttgart, 2nd International BG Championship [38] sponsored by: Mercedes, "Soldier of Fortune" Magazine and yes, the Irish Distillers Ltd.
1995-Present - General flitting around the globe plying his trade to anyone who's naive enough to be taken in, with occasional appearances at the Russian Summer Ball, of which he is a committee member.
1996 - St. Petersburg, RUSSIAN ARMED FORCES SPORTS CENTRE No. 4, 3rd International BG Championship [39]; training MVD special-unit SOBR[40]
1997 - Bologna, 4rth International BG Championship, Sponsors: the Irish Brewers of "Murphys" e.a. [41]
1997-98 - September 1997 and March 1998, interviewed for book on BW "Plague Wars"[42]
1998 - Kiev, 5th International BG Championship, hosted by the Presidential Guard of the Republic of Ukraine and the Central Dynamo committee (sic) of the Republic of Ukraine.[43]
1999 - Pirbright, 6th International BG Championship, at Bisley Camp (home of the National Rifle Association) Accommodations at Alexander Barracks (1 Army Training Regt.)[44]
2000 - Oslo, 7th International BG Championship, at the headquarters of HV 024, the traditional bodyguards of the Norwegian Crown Prince [45]
2002 – Claims that the IBA became an Associate Corporate Partner of FBI National Academy- http://www.ibacroatia.com/?c=html&s=more&id=8
2002 - writes "Special fighters of Darkness - professional fight terrorism", ISBN: 978-4062113540, published in Japan... "Things are easy when you're big in japan, when you're big in Japaaaan"
2004 – awarded the Vitez Rend for his active role in dismantling communism. (see reference to it by Jimbo in 2006 – Budapest.
also
“During 2004, the IBA in addition to their regular courses trained classes of Iraqi Police, Cambodian Police, elements of the US Army’s 1st Special Forces Group, Bodyguard for United Nations Security and Bodyguards and drivers for The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).” From http://www.ibacaribbean.com/aboutus.html
2005 - Invitation no less to instruct in Mongolia – posted November 6, 2005 on http://ibahq.blogspot.com/2005/11/september-2005.html
2006 – Italy – joint Covert Surveillance course with ILETA and IBA
Ukraine – Master Bodyguard course sponsored Ukrainian veterans of United Nations Police at the TITAN Special Forces Base with Berkyt Interior Ministry Special Forces providing the gymnasium.
Budapest - Vitez Rend (Hungarian Order of Knights) Ball at the Palace in Budapest and jimbo claims, “The Director General was awarded the Order of the Vitez Rend in 2004 for his active role in the dismantling of communism government in Easteran and Central Europe.” Stunning… a knighthood from the Pope and a Knighthood all for ending communism! - posted February 28, 2006 on http://ibahq.blogspot.com/2006/02/january-2006.html
Riga Latvia, Jimbo shows up for the dinner – dressed up in the tartan kilt from http://www.ibabodyguards.com/index.php?option=com_ponygallery&Itemid=43&func=detail&id=85
2008 – Releases DVD on Tactical Firearms – shows the hotel at Castle Bellingham as Castle Cosy?
- Dresses up in CF Arid Pattern while in Slovenia.
Business Claims, Clients and Affiliations
Shortt and the IBA claim some interesting business links on the various websites IBAIBA-homepage IBA-Slovenia homepage IBA-Croatia. All very persuasive stuff for potential clients, assuring them that the IBA is indeed worth employing in either an operational or training capacity [all funds to Baron Castleshort, please].

There's just one wee problem with that: when ARRSE started checking these accreditations and pretty logos posted by the IBA, it seems that some of the organisations have never heard of Jim Shortt, Baron Castleshort or indeed the IBA. Here's a selection: and let's see what all that actually means.

United Nations Security Training Provider [46] - WOW. Did the Pope fix that for him? Possibly it's actually the next one ...

EU at the United Nations[47] - The European Commission at the UN is hard-pressed to find any evidence that the IBA ever provided them with any training. OOOPS...

Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe - Training Provider. [48] Work in progress.

Registered with the Union of International Organisations in Bruxelles. [49] Apparently not, according to the UIA website [50]. OOOPS.....

Microsoft Corporation Security Training Provider, Vendor No. 002136969. Here, and other locations- Letter of Recommendation from the Microsoft Executive Security Team [51]: does that even exist? Google says: NO. So who is/was Stephen A Hall, Security Program Manager, Microsoft Executive Security Team? Still, there's a picture of Bill Gates on the IBA websites, so that's OK ... possibly.

FBI National Academy Associates Corporate Partner No. 22.[52] Not listed on the FBI NAA Website as a Corporate Partner [53]. The FBI have now confirmed [as at 8 Feb 09] that Shortt was never an FBI National Academy Graduate, the IBA have NEVER been Corporate Sponsors, or any way involved with the FBI National Academy, and that the Logo on the website is a very bad copy of the real FBI National Academy Logo. Add Copyright Violation to the list of reasons you may be refused entry to the USA. OOOOPS ....

International Association of Chiefs of Police [54]- "a long term active member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police." NOT - checks at the highest level reveal he is not, and never has been a member - that's checked with UK, Ireland and the HQ in the USA. OOOPS....

California University of Protection and Intelligence Management. [55] Now re-named as Henley-Putnam University - IBA Slovenia used logo with claim to be Business Partner [major website amendment Jan 09 removed that aspect]. On 9 Feb 09 "I have been informed by the founder of CUPIM/Henley-Putnam University that we do not have any affiliation with the International Bodyguard Association." OOOPS...

Co-Editor of "Eye Spy" magazine, according to IBA-Deutchland [prior to website amendments in Jan 09] "Jim Shortt wrote about six pieces from 2002-2005 It was discovered not everything about him was quite right - especially his alleged service with the SAS. For this reason he was asked about a number of comments but never got a response. Therefore Jim Shortt was removed as a consultant and has not published anything since." OOOOPS...

International Law Enforcement Training Agency. [56] No problem there; it was founded back in 1976 as part of the old Combat Training Team, and Shortt was the primary instructor. I guess the IBA would approve of a part of itself - the usual Shortt self-licking lollipop.

New College Swindon [UK] SIA Training provider [57]. - New College remains adamant that the IBA has a "good reputation in the industry" but admits (indirectly) that it is not SIA-approved. At least on that one the SIA agrees: OOOPS...

Security Industry Authority Licensed Training Provider. SIA: "Unfortunately I cannot seem to find The International Bodyguard association on our register of approved contractors." [58] No cigar here...and possibly a £5000 fine? OOOPS....

Australian Institute of Public Safety. Work in progress - they have a "Stolen Valour Act".

AGS-Groep, Agency of Global Security. [59] Dutch - work in progress

AGS-Freightwatch, The Cargo Security Company. [60]Dutch - See AGS-Groep above.

Meldkamer Vlaardingen. [61] Dutch private alarm monitoring service, they also do track-and-trace and similar. They do link to the IBA from their homepage here. See AGS-Groep above.

European Security Management Centre. [62] Dutch - See AGS-Groep above.

Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills,Reg.No. 10792 - DIUS: [63] "After searching our records I am unable to locate any file past or present for the IBA confirming it is recognised or registered by the DIUS Register of Education and Training Providers. In addition the registration number quoted by the IBA organisation belongs to a different organisation." OOOPS ...

IBA International Maritime Course Module and Yacht Security, MS09/1 [64] "In conjunction with Camper & Nicholsons International" [65] - a second call to Camper & Nicholson resulted in them "informing their Maltese Boat yard about this, and their own legal department are going to chase Shortt & the IBA." OOOPS ....
Office of the High Representative in Bosnia&Herzegovina - work in progress

In fact, it's looking like a HUGE case of caveat emptor - if you have a few months to wade through the fog, and discover that most of it is almost certainly untrue, you might just be inclined to look somewhere else. Once you've stopped laughing, and cleaned the monitor and keyboard, of course.

Lies

2009-11-14T18:02:00.000+07:00

If you have the slightest doubt on someone that is making false claims or falsely advertising in the martial arts world, please contact BUSHIDO@hush.ai

Please provide information in the most detailed manner and all material to back up your claims which may prove the person is a thief, liar and cheat.