Blackwater: 'The civilians reportedly fired upon by Blackwater professionals were in fact armed enemies'

Above: Blackwater 'security contractors' have provided protection for American diplomats across Iraq since the invasion in 2003.

Iraq to Review All Security Contractors

The Iraqi government said today that it would review the status of all foreign and local security companies working in Iraq after a shooting that left eight Iraqis dead.

Blackwater USA, an American contractor that provides security to some of the top American officials in Iraq, was banned from working in the country by the Ministry of Interior following the shooting on Sunday, which involved an American diplomatic convoy.

A spokesman for the Iraqi government, Ali al-Dabbag, said that the cabinet met today and supported the decision to cancel Blackwater’s license and begin an immediate investigation. The ministry has said that it would prosecute the participants in the shooting, but a law issued by the American occupation authority prior to the return of sovereignty to Iraq in 2004 grants American contractors, along with American military personnel, immunity from Iraqi prosecution.

Read the rest at the NY Times

Iraq gets tough with foreign security firms

Brigadier-general Adam-Karim Khalaf, an interior ministry spokesman, said that foreign security contractors opened fire after mortar rounds landed near the convoy. "They opened fire randomly at citizens," he said.

A Blackwater spokeswoman said the company had not been formally notified of any expulsion.

"Blackwater's independent contractors acted lawfully and appropriately in response to a hostile attack in Baghdad on Sunday," she said. "The civilians reportedly fired upon by Blackwater professionals were in fact armed enemies and Blackwater personnel returned defensive fire.

"Blackwater regrets any loss of life but this convoy was violently attacked by armed insurgents, not civilians, and our people did their job to defend human life."

Under a law issued by the Coalition Provisional Authority before Iraq regained sovereignty in June 2004, the companies have immunity from Iraqi prosecution.

Read the rest at the Guardian

Iraqis round on Blackwater 'dogs' after shooting

Hated by Iraqis who refer to them as "Mossad," Blackwater contractors are also mistrusted by fellow private security guards operating in Iraq who say they are arrogant, rude and dangerous...

Toting M-16 rifles and grenade launchers, they drive armoured vehicles or SUVs mounted with machine guns through the streets accompanied by their own helicopters, bringing traffic to a halt.

The message is clear, stay back or risk being shot...

"Unfortunately, it appears there is an institutionalised arrogance (and) they feel they can't be held accountable," said an American security officer who has been working in Iraq for a US construction company for the past three years.

"I and others have had Blackwater aggressively try to run us off the road and point guns at us at checkpoints," said the contractor, who gave his name only as Mike.

"They are crazy, aggressive and arrogant," said another contractor working for a European company, who was reluctant to speak to the media and unwilling to be named.

Read the rest at AFP Google

Blackwater can be tried in Iraqi court: judge

US security firm Blackwater could be tried in an Iraqi court over a shootout in a Baghdad neighbourhood which killed eight people, a top judge told AFP on Tuesday.

"This company is subject to Iraqi law and the crime committed was on Iraqi territory and the Iraqi judiciary is responsible for tackling the case," said Abdul Sattar Ghafour Bairaqdar from Iraq's Supreme Judiciary Council, the country's highest court...

The judge said the case against Blackwater could be filed either by the relatives of the victims or by the government.

Read the rest at AFP Google

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