Blackwater May Not Face Charges for Killing Iraqi Civilians
Several previous PeacePundit posts discussed Blackwater Worldwide’s alleged unprovoked killing of 17 Iraqi civilians on on September 16, 2007 (see list below). The two most recent of those posts indicated that Blackwater would not be hurt by the tragedy/crime. The latest Associated Press report, excerpted below, supports that by indicating that the chances of charges being filed against Blackwater are low to nil.
San Francisco Chronicle, 10 May 2008
Criminal charges not likely for Blackwater in killings of Iraqis
Matt Apuzzo & Lara Jakes Jordan
Associated Press
Blackwater Worldwide, the security contractor blamed by an angry Iraqi government for the shooting deaths of 17 civilians last year, is not expected to face criminal charges — all but ensuring the company will keep its multimillion-dollar contract to protect U.S. diplomats.
Instead, the 7-month-old Justice Department investigation is focused on as few as three or four Blackwater guards who could be indicted in the Sept. 16 shootings, according to interviews with a half-dozen people close to the investigation.
The final decision on any charges will not be made until late summer at the earliest, a law enforcement official said. …
…
Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell said, “If it is determined that there are any individuals who need to be held accountable, we support that.”
The shootings began when a Blackwater convoy, responding to a Baghdad car bombing, entered the Nisoor Square traffic circle. Blackwater says the convoy was ambushed by insurgents, touching off a firefight. Iraqi witnesses described an unprovoked attack in which security guards fired indiscriminately, killing motorists, bystanders and children in the square.
The shooting enraged the Iraqi government, which originally sought to expel the company from the country, and strained diplomatic relations between Washington and Baghdad.
…
