Iraqi Civilian: Blackwater fired first shots... to disperse traffic jam

U.S. and Iraqi governments remain strained in the wake of Sunday's shooting involving Blackwater USA security guards, which Iraqi officials said left at least 11 people dead. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki suggested the U.S. Embassy find another company to protect its diplomats.

The Moyock, N.C.-based company has said its employees acted "lawfully and appropriately" in response to an armed attack against a State Department convoy.

But a survivor who said he was three cars away from the convoy denied the American guards were under fire, claiming they apparently started shooting to disperse more than two dozen cars that were stuck in a traffic jam.

"It is not true when they say that they were attacked. We did not hear any gunshots before they started shooting," lawyer Hassan Jabir told The Associated Press from his hospital bed.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070920/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

He *obviously* has an agenda..