A US judge dismissed charges against Blackwater employees who killed 17 Iraqi civilians

 

Jan. 02, 10 (Hamsayeh.Net) - A court in the US, a country that works hard to spread democracy into other countries across the world has just dismissed criminal charges against five employees of a local security company called Blackwater. They were accused of killing 17 Iraqi civilians during a shooting spree on a Baghdad square two years ago.

 

The incident happened when six heavily armed Blackwater security guards drove to Baghdad contrary to an order which strictly told them to stay in the US-controlled green zone area, and  later the security personnel started firing their automatic weapons and grenade launchers on ordinary people  killing many children, mothers and elderly. It is said they even shot at a man in the chest who stood there with both his hands in the air killing him right there. 

 

The security guards claim they thought there was enemy fire from somewhere, but coincidently none of the security personnel received the slightest injury. US government prosecutors convincingly accused the six guards on charges of manslaughter without provocation. But yesterday, a US federal judge dismissed the case altogether.

 

Judge Urbina, citing discrepancies in guards’ earlier statements and the fact that prosecutors used secret statements against the defendants in the court, completely dismissed the case and freed the men of all charges.

 

In Iraq, officials following the case were upset with Judge Urbina’s ruling. A spokesperson for Iraqi government said Baghdad would prosecute the men through Iraqi legal system. ‘The criminal suit was already well advanced against the firm, which would not be allowed to restart its private military work in the country,’ said Ali Dabagh a spokesman for the Iraqi government. ‘The government will monitor proceedings against Blackwater in Iraqi courts to prosecute the company and will preserve the rights of Iraqi citizens, of the victims and their families affected by this crime,’ he said.

The ruling also angered other Iraqis. In Baghdad a 35 years old man who was shot in the arm during the melee told reporters that he was extremely disappointed. ‘I call for the government to stop all foreign security companies working in Iraq. Their work here has been full of dangers for us and has caused real peril.’