Security Firm Faces Criminal Charges in Iraq (NYT)

Security Firm Faces Criminal Charges in Iraq

By JAMES GLANZ and SABRINA TAVERNISE
Published: September 23, 2007

BAGHDAD, Sept. 22 — The Iraqi government said Saturday
that it expects to refer criminal charges to its courts
within days in connection with a shooting here by a private
American security company, and the Interior Ministry gave
new details of six other episodes it is investigating
involving the company.

The state minister for national security affairs, Shirwan
al-Waili, said the government had received little information
from the American side in the early days of a joint
investigation of the shooting, which involved the company
Blackwater USA and left at least eight Iraqis dead. But he
said that the Iraqi investigation was largely completed and
that he believed the findings were definitive. “The shots
fired on the Iraqis were unjustifiable,” he said. “It was
harsh and horrible.”

Although Mr. Waili did not spell out what the investigative
committee would recommend to the criminal court, a
preliminary report of findings by the Interior Ministry,
the National Security Ministry and the Defense Ministry
stated that “the murder of citizens in cold blood in the
Nisour area by Blackwater is considered a terrorist action
against civilians just like any other terrorist operation.”

“The criminals will be referred to the Iraqi court system,”
it said.

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