US biker gang linked to anti-Islam rhetoric guards Gaza aid sites

The firm responsible for securing aid distribution sites in Gaza has been employing members of a U.S. biker gang with a history of anti-Islam sentiments to carry out its armed security, as uncovered by a BBC investigation.

BBC News has verified the identities of 10 members of the Infidels Motorcycle Club working in Gaza for UG Solutions - a private contractor providing security at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites, where chaos and gunfire have led to the deaths of hundreds of civilians seeking food.

We can disclose that seven members of the gang hold senior roles overseeing sites at the controversial aid operation supported by Israel and U.S. President Donald Trump. 

UG Solutions (UGS) defended the qualifications of its employees, stating it does not disqualify individuals based on "personal hobbies or affiliations unrelated to job performance."

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) stated it operates with "a zero-tolerance policy for any hateful, discriminatory biases or conduct."

Infidels MC was established by U.S. military veterans of the Iraq war in 2006, with members viewing themselves as modern Crusaders, using the Crusader cross as their symbol - a nod to the medieval Christians who fought Muslims for control of Jerusalem.

The gang currently hosts anti-Muslim hate speech on its Facebook page and has previously hosted a pig roast "in defiance of" the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. 

"Putting the Infidels biker club in charge of delivering humanitarian aid in Gaza is like putting the KKK in charge of delivering humanitarian aid in Sudan. It makes no sense whatsoever," said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a leading Muslim civil rights organization in the U.S.

"It’s bound to lead to violence, and that’s exactly what we’ve seen happen in Gaza."

The gang’s leader, Johnny "Taz" Mulford, is a former U.S. Army sergeant who faced punishment for conspiracy to commit bribery, theft, and making false statements to military authorities. He is now the "country team leader" running UG Solutions’ contract in Gaza.

We emailed Infidels MC for comment. In response, Mr. Mulford instructed fellow leaders of the biker gang not to respond but included the BBC when he clicked "reply all" - unintentionally disclosing email addresses and names of fellow Infidels MC members, some of whom were working in Gaza.

Aside from Mr. Mulford, we have identified three leading members of Infidels MC who also hold senior roles in UGS’s Gaza operation:

• Larry "J-Rod" Jarrett, publicly named as the Infidels MC vice-president, is responsible for logistics

• The gang’s national treasurer, Bill "Saint" Siebe, leads the security team for one of GHF’s four "safe distribution sites"

• One of the gang’s founding members, Richard "A-Tracker" Lofton, is a team leader at another distribution site

Confidential documents, open-source information, and former UGS contractors have enabled us to confirm the identities of an additional six Infidels bikers hired to work in Gaza. Three of them lead or serve as deputies on the firm’s armed security teams. 

Messrs. Jarrett, Siebe, and Lofton did not respond to requests for comment.

UGS told the BBC it conducts thorough background checks and only deploys vetted individuals. However, news reports indicate Mr. Jarrett was arrested two years ago in the U.S. for drunk driving and has a previous charge of driving under the influence from about a decade earlier. It is unknown whether either case resulted in a conviction.

Jameson Govoni, founder and chief executive of UG Solutions, was arrested earlier this year in North Carolina for alleged involvement in a hit-and-run incident and for fleeing from police to evade arrest, according to court documents. Mr. Govoni, who is based in the U.S. and is not a member of Infidels MC, declined to comment.

Previously, Mr. Mulford was the only UG Solutions contractor identified as a member of the Infidels. The BBC’s investigation reveals the extent of his hiring of members of the biker gang, notably to more lucrative positions leading the UGS armed security teams. 

Social media posts show that in May, just two weeks before travelling to Gaza, Mr. Mulford sought to recruit U.S. military veterans from his Facebook followers, inviting anyone who "can still shoot, move and communicate" to apply. 

By matching names with public information about Infidels MC’s leadership and insights from UG Solutions insiders, we have identified 10 members of Infidels MC whom Mr. Mulford recruited to work with him in Gaza.

In total, at least 40 of approximately 320 individuals employed by UG Solutions in Gaza were recruited from Infidels MC, according to an estimate by a former contractor.

UG Solutions pays each contractor $980 (£720) per day, including expenses, rising to $1,580 (£1,160) per day for team leaders at GHF’s "safe distribution sites," as evidenced by documents seen by the BBC.

A team leader in Gaza responsible for site security, Josh Miller, shared a photo of a group of contractors in Gaza with a banner reading "Make Gaza Great Again".

The banner advertises the logo of a company he owns, which sells T-shirts and other apparel, including one with the slogan "embrace violence" and another stating: "Surf all day, rockets all night. Gaza summer 25." 

His company also posted a video online depicting scenes of gun violence and promoting the shooting of criminals, with the caption: "Remember, always shoot until they’re no longer a threat!"

Mr. Miller has the word "Crusader" tattooed across his fingers and "1095" on his thumbs, marking the year when Pope Urban II launched the first crusade against Muslims. Mr. Miller did not respond to requests for comment.

A post on the Infidels MC Facebook page selling "1095" hats claims it signifies the start of the Crusades, "a military campaign by western European forces to recapture Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim control". The "Holy Land" refers to the area mostly covered by modern-day Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Johnny Mulford, who leads the gang and is listed as the registered agent of a Florida company called Infidels MC, has the date 1095 tattooed across his chest. He also has a Crusader cross tattooed on his right forearm and another on his left upper arm with the word "Infidels". 

"When you see anti-Muslim bigots today celebrating 1095, celebrating the Crusades, they are celebrating the wholesale massacre of Muslims - the erasure of Muslims and Jews from the holy city of Jerusalem," stated Mr. Mitchell from the US Muslim civil rights organization CAIR.

He indicated that the gang possesses characteristics of anti-Muslim hate groups that have operated under the name "Infidels" for decades.

The gang’s anti-Islamic beliefs are reflected in a flyer for a pig roast held during Ramadan, which the BBC discovered on an archived web page. It reads: "In defiance of the Islamic holiday of Ramadan… we invite you to attend the Infidels MC Colorado Springs Chapter open bike party & pig roast."

The flyer also features a woman wearing a burka that has been torn from the neck down, exposing her chest. 

The Infidels MC Facebook page has hosted unmistakably Islamophobic conversations. In 2020 the club shared a link to a false, satirical article claiming that four US Democratic politicians, including two Muslims, wanted the Bible to be classified as hate speech.

Comments from members of the Facebook group included: "Filling my magazine to the max. Would not be the first time we were at odds with Muslims"; "Deport these pathetic skanks to a pathetic third world crap hole where they won’t be offended by the Holy Bible"; and a comment denouncing "them and their Mohammad" with an expletive.

As of Wednesday, the comments remain on the Infidels MC Facebook page.

The Infidels MC website also once showcased the skull logo of the violent Marvel comic book character Punisher, a symbol appropriated by white supremacist groups, inscribed with "kafir" in Arabic script - which translates to "unbeliever" (or "infidel"). 

Chaos and danger have been pervasive at the aid distribution sites in Gaza since their opening in late May. Through September 2, 1,135 children, women, and men were killed near GHF sites while in search of food, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The UN has reported that most of the killings appear to have been executed by Israeli security forces. Incidents involving harm to civilians while seeking aid are "under review by the competent authorities in the IDF," the Israeli military noted.

UGS has refuted allegations that its security contractors fired on civilians and endangered individuals seeking food due to incompetent leadership. However, the company has acknowledged the use of warning shots to disperse crowds.

In a statement, UG Solutions, headquartered in North Carolina, declared Johnny Mulford as a "trusted and respected figure" with over 30 years of experience supporting the U.S. and its allies globally. "We stand by his reputation, record, and his contributions to the success of complex missions," the company asserted.

"We do not screen for personal hobbies or affiliations unrelated to job performance or security standards. Every team member undergoes comprehensive background checks, and only qualified, vetted individuals are deployed on UG Solutions operations," said UGS.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation stated it relies on "people from all backgrounds" to deliver aid in Gaza and build trust with Gazans.

"The team providing aid at the Foundation’s sites is diverse - and it is successful for that reason," the GHF stated.