Thread: Guards in Blackwater Shooting May Face 30 Years

Guards in Blackwater Shooting May Face 30 Years

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vopBHVvn-94

The Justice Department is readying indictments that could send Blackwater Worldwide guards to prison for at least 30 years for their involvement in the deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting of Iraqi civilians. (Dec. 5)

Blackwater Shooting: Iraqis Called to Testify

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efZYwSfl ... re=channel

Blackwater Shooting: Iraqis Called to TestifyBlackwater Shooting: Iraqis Called to TestifyThe Associated PressA federal grand jury in Washington has heard testimony from 3 Iraqis about a deadly shooting by Blackwater security guards that left 17 Iraqi civilians. One of the witnesses is the father of a slain 9-year-old boy. (May 27)Photos like this one were plastered across the front pages of newspapers last year ---after Blackwater security guards allegedly fired into a crowded Baghdad intersection--- killing 17. [Notes:ap photo and then broll of newspapers on stands] The incident angered the Iraqi people ---and now is the subject of a federal grand jury investigation. [Notes:capitol hill shot]Tuesday--three Iraqi's testified --to a federal grand jury about the September 16th shooting --involving the private security contractor. One of the Iraqi's present ---was the father of a nine-year-old boy ---who was killed during the shooting. [Notes:back to broll of shooting] He calls what happened a "true massacre.''The grand jury testimony is secret ----but Iraqi witnesses to the shooting have described it publicly as an unprovoked attack ---- in which Blackwater guards killed motorists, bystanders and children.The company's C-E-O maintains--his contractors were responding to a car bombing when they were ambushed by insurgents----touching off a firefight. [Notes:file of ceo testifying]Blackwater is funded by the State Department to guard U.S. diplomats in Iraq. The company is not a target of the investigation-----rather the case is focused on the actions of several guards working for the company. [Notes:file of blackwater compound] The shooting strained diplomatic relations between Washington and Baghdad ---and has raised questions about the U.S. Military's reliance on private contractors in Iraq. ___ ___, The Associated Press.