Meeting to decide on measures against Blackwater guards

Dubai: The Iraqi government has expressed its regret and anger after a US judge dismissed criminal charges against five Blackwater security guards who were accused of killing 14 people in Baghdad in September 2007.

Ali Al Dabbagh, the Iraqi government's spokesman, told Gulf News that the government will hold a meeting today to decide on the steps to be taken against what he called ‘Blackwater criminals'.

He also said the families of the people killed in the incident will take action to bring the Blackwater agents to justice.

"The Iraqi government regrets the decision of a federal judge in the United States to drop the charges against the Blackwater security guards," Al Dabbagh told Gulf News in a telephone interview.

Al Dabbagh asserted that an Iraqi investigation had shown that the five guards were unquestionably responsible for the deaths of the civilians.

Confirmation

He said "the investigations carried out by Iraqi authorities confirmed with no doubt that the Blackwater guards committed a criminal murder act and they have violated the combat environment rule to use force while there was no threat against them".

The Iraqi spokesman said that the Iraqi government "will act forcefully and decisively to prosecute the Blackwater criminals".

Jawad Al Boulani, Iraqi Minister of Interior, told Gulf News that overseas private contractors worked in Iraq as a result of the security conditions that prevailed prior to 2007.

He said the number of such companies has dropped dramatically in the past couple of years, "Their work is now organised upon strict Iraqi regulations and mechanisms."

Al Boulani also told Gulf News that the Iraqi parliament will soon issue a law regulating the work and activities of these companies. He added that there are problems and negative issues that accompany the work of these private contractors, but the strict regulations imposed by the ministry have in fact cut down the size of these issues.

Al Boulani also said the work of these private security contractors will soon end and the door to new jobs for Iraqis will open. However, there will be some sectors that will need private contracting but it will be controlled according to Iraqi regulations.

Sami Al Askari, Adviser to Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki, told Gulf News that the US Federal Judge's decision has hurt Iraqis' feelings.

"The decision has also harmed the image of the US as the leading country in issues of human rights and justice, especially as the judge did not discuss or view the incident itself but rather the legal case alone which is extremely unfair" Al Askari said

"The judge's decision will set free a number of criminals, and it will also take away the rights of the victims of the criminal act carried out by the Blackwater agents."

Al Askari concluded that the Iraqi government is required to follow up the case through a legal committee, to bring back justice to the victims' families.

Blackwater pulled out of Iraq in May 2007, after the US State Department refused to renew its contracts. The company changed its name to Xe Services last year.

US Federal Judge Ricardo Urbina dismissed charges against five Blackwater agents, saying prosecutors violated their rights by using incriminating statements they had made under immunity during a US State Department probe.

According to Iraqi authorities, 17 civilians were killed in the shooting, but the guards were charged with 14 deaths. Inquiries carried out by the Iraqi government confirm that the Blackwater guards committed a crime and used weapons when there was no threat necessitating the use of force.