In November last year, he pardoned a former US army commando who was set to stand trial over the killing of a suspected Afghan bomb-maker, and a former army lieutenant convicted of murder for ordering his men to fire at three Afghans. The private military company branched structure consisting of more than a dozen offices reporting the managing organization Xe Services. US pardons Blackwater guards: An 'affront to justice' - UN experts 2004 Fallujah ambush - Wikipedia However, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki urged the United States to end their contract with Blackwater. Blackwater Trial: What You Need to Know - NBC News This evidentiary use of tainted information constitutes yet another Kastigar violation. "I kept calling, but thought there must be some sort of cellphone interruption.". That day changed my life forever. Of the 17 that lost their lives, two were children under the age of 12, with the youngest aged 9 years old. He spent the next three days in the hospital and underwent major surgery on his right arm, which was fractured by a bullet. Please give now to support our work, New testimony from witnesses and victims provides the most in-depth, harrowing account to date of the US security firm's deadly rampage in Iraq, Share this via Facebook With the contract to provide security for L. Paul Bremer, Blackwater essentially "cement[ed] its presence at the center of conflict in Iraq," per PBS. The story follows Prince, a Navy SEAL turned billionaire, as he is dogged by a grand-jury. However, according to Reuters, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, claiming that "the U.S. government had recklessly violated the defendants' constitutional rights." Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe. At least four other Iraqis have been reported killed in that incident on Sept. 9. Director Mark Manning Writers Natalie Kalustian Mark Manning Stars Rana al Aiouby Tariq Ali Reza Aslan For a moment, it appeared as though Blackwater was going to be responsible for guarding the FBI agents, but the Bureau soon announced that the FBI agents would instead be guarded by "official personnel," rather than the very company that they were to be investigating. John M. Patarini was the FBI agent leading the investigation, and although they went into the investigation thinking that civilians had merely been caught in crossfire, they soon realized that "it was a massacre along the lines of My Lai in Vietnam," per The Guardian. The trial against Heard, Liberty, Slatten, and Slough began around June 2014 and lasted over two months. Blackwater was founded by ex-Navy SEAL Erik Prince in 1997 as a shooting range and military training ground in Moyock, North Carolina. [18][30] Iraqi investigators also alleged that Blackwater helicopters fired into the cars from the air, as at least one car had bullet holes in its roof; Blackwater has denied any of its aerial units discharged weapons. In his testimony, Prince noted that, "It seems the ballistics analysis was done to prove the guilt of the Americans, not to just try to identify what happened there." The State Department announced an American-Iraqi joint commission to investigate both the shooting and the broader issue of employing private security contractors. Share this via Twitter And after the United States invaded Iraq in March 2003, Blackwater won a $25 million contract to provide security for L. Paul Bremer, an American diplomat who led the transitional government following the invasion. I don't know how to manage my life or care for my other two children without her. Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army AFP. Amid the wreckage, colorful clouds billowed into the air from the convoy's parting gift -- multicolored smoke bombs. Convoy Attacked in Baghdad, Sparking a Shootout", "3 Blackwater Guards Called Baghdad Shootings Unjustified", "Blackwater Denies Any Wrongdoing in Shooting Incident (Update1)", "Iraqi leader urges U.S. to cancel Blackwater contract", "Iraqi Investigators say Videotape Shows Blackwater Guards Fired Without Aggravation", "House Passes Bill That Would Hike Penalties for U.S. Security Contractors in Iraq", "Private Security Company Association Iraq", "Iraqi Government Disputes Blackwater USA's Version of Shooting", "Iraq battle was self-defense, security firm says", "FBI takes lead in probe over Blackwater crisis", "Blackwater most often shoots first, congressional report says", "Report: Blackwater Killings Unjustified", "From Texas to Iraq, and Center of Blackwater Case", No forensic match for ammo in Blackwater shooting, "The Associated Press: APNewsBreak: Blackwater founder questions FBI work", "Overcoming post-colonial myopia: A call to recognize and regulate private military companie"s, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Army, "Wounded Iraqis: 'No one did anything' to provoke Blackwater", "Blackwater incident witness: 'It was hell', Family Members of Slain Iraqis Sue Blackwater USA for Deadly Baghdad Shooting, "Blackwater Verdict a U.S. 'Snub' of Iraqi Leader Nouri al-Maliki: Kayhan, Islamic Republic of Iran", "White House: Contractor bill would have 'intolerable' effects", "Blackwater settles Nisoor Square lawsuit", "5 Blackwater guards face manslaughter charges", "Blackwater Guard in Secret Deal to Testify in Massacre Case", "US judge sets trial in 2010 for Blackwater guards", "Appeals court revives Blackwater shooting case", "US judge dismisses charges in Blackwater Iraq killings", "Reopening of Blackwater Case Confuses Iraqi Victims", "Biden Says U.S. Will Appeal Blackwater Case Dismissal (Published 2010)", "ICD - Slough et al. And Blackwater is not the only problem. At the sentencing, the US attorneys office said in a statement: The sheer amount of unnecessary human loss and suffering attributable to the defendants criminal conduct on 16 September 2007 is staggering., After news of the pardon emerged on Tuesday night, Brian Heberlig, a lawyer for one of the four pardoned Blackwater defendants, said: Paul Slough and his colleagues didnt deserve to spend one minute in prison. Sign up for the VE Newsletter https://www.vigilanceelite.com/newsletterErik Prince is an American businessman, former U.S. Navy SEAL officer,and . Prosecutors argued the men did not face hostile gunfire when they began shooting, and continued to shoot despite the lack of threats. [38] Waxman stated that "the controversy over Blackwater is an unfortunate demonstration of the perils of excessive reliance on private security contractors. [63] The suit was settled for an undisclosed sum in January 2010. [72] A sixth Blackwater guard, Jeremy Ridgeway of California, struck a deal with prosecutors on December 4, 2008 and pleaded guilty to one count each of voluntary manslaughter, attempted manslaughter, and aiding and abetting,[72][3] and agreed to testify against the other five men. A rocket grenade was fired into one of the cars, killing its driver. According to Reuters, in 2009, the State Department finally decided not to renew their contract with Blackwater in Iraq. Despite being heavily involved with the United States' military involvement in Southwest and Central Asia, Blackwater was often harmful and rarely helpful. Five independent UN experts condemned United States President Donald Trump's pardoning of private security contractors, convicted in 2015 for war crimes in Iraq, on Wednesday. An estimated 20,000 to 35,000 private security contractors operate in Iraq, without adequate oversight, without adequate training and without adequate legal sanctions to hold abusers accountable. [26][27] A U.S. Army convoy arrived at 12:39p.m., backed by air cover, to escort TST 22 back to the Green Zone. courts. The Nisour Square massacreoccurred on September 16, 2007, when employees of BlackwaterSecurity Consulting (now Constellis), a private military companycontracted by the US government to provide security services in Iraq, shot at Iraqi civilians, killing 17 and injuring 20 in Nisour Square, Baghdad, while escorting a U.S. embassy convoy. Other ways to share ", Failure to Uncover the Fate of Syrias Missing, Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people in close to 100 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice. [63], A U.S. judge's decision to dismiss all charges against Blackwater on January 1, 2010, sparked outrage in the Arab world. UN criticises Trump's pardons for Blackwater guards jailed over Iraq courts. [7][8] U.N. experts said this "violated U.S. obligations under international law". [54] He enlisted in 1999, and served in Bosnia with the 3rd Infantry Division. The pardons are one of several the US president has granted to American service personnel and contractors accused or convicted of crimes against non-combatants and civilians in war zones. Blackwater was even hired by the Department of Homeland Security during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and according to PBS, collected "more than $70 million in hurricane-related contracts. The order did not say when the suspension would expire. [50], On October 4, 2007, U.S. military reports indicated Blackwater's guards had opened fire without provocation and used excessive force. All rights reserved. Slatten faced a potential sentence of life in prison. [56], On April 1, 2011, the Associated Press reported on Erik Prince's seven-hour testimony about what allegedly transpired. [36] Several Iraqi and American investigations have been conducted into the incident. "Blackwater": the major crimes of the most famous American PMCs [37], Henry Waxman, the chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which held hearings on the use of Private Security Contractors in February 2007, said his committee would hold hearings "to understand what has happened and the extent of the damage to U.S. security interests". For several years, a private security firm known as Blackwater Security Consulting received an unprecedented level of funding and incredibly limited oversight from the United States. Defence lawyers argued their clients returned fire after being ambushed by Iraqi insurgents. The deceased included nine and 11-year-old boys. [12] The U.S. State Department has said that "innocent life was lost",[13] and according to The Washington Post, a military report appeared to corroborate "the Iraqi government's contention that Blackwater was at fault". stunt double: Jasmine Waltz Kelly Bellini . Ahmed would count upwards of 40 bullet holes in their car alone. [8][98] A White House statement said the men had a "long history of service to the nation" as veterans of the US Armed Forces, and that there was strong support for the pardons from the public and elected officials. [25][31], The account by the Blackwater firm differed from the Iraqi government's account; Blackwater's account stated the driver of the Kia sedan had kept driving toward the convoy, ignoring verbal orders, hand signals, and water bottles thrown at the car, and continued to approach even when fired upon. Two helicopters circled overhead, each with a man strapped in and a machine gun sticking out. Like Khalaf, Hooby said he never saw anyone on his side of the square make even a threatening gesture toward the Blackwater convoy. [15] The incident sparked at least five investigations, including one from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Black Water (2007 film) - Wikipedia (Iraqi police) or any of the local security forces fired back at them", the official continued. Help us continue to fight human rights abuses. In other cases, investigations don't even get off the ground, because of lack of political will, limits in the extraterritorial reach of US criminal laws, and the absence of investigative units on the ground. This decision was appealed by the Department of Justice and in 2011, the ruling was reversed. ", According to the memo Richter wrote to State Department officials in Washington after the incident, "Mr. Carroll's statement was made in a low, even tone of voice, his head was slightly lowered; his eyes were fixed on mine. "[32] According to Blackwater vice-president Marty Strong, the convoy was hit with "a large explosive device" and "repeated small arms fire" which disabled a vehicle. and tried to gesture to his colleagues in an attempt to stop the shooting. [84], The other four went on trial starting on June 17, 2014;[5] ten weeks of testimony and 28 days of jury deliberations resulted in convictions for all four men on October 22, 2014. That lethal incident was a watershed moment that brought intense scrutiny to the problems caused by private contractors, which have effectively operated with impunity as they've brought violence and widespread ill will to US operations in Iraq. Four guards fired on unarmed crowd in Baghdad in 2007, killing 14 and sparking outrage over use of private security in war zones. [29] Several sources have stated that the explosion was caused by a mortar round, though this is not reflected in the State Department's incident report. After the September 11th attacks, Blackwater expanded their security-related work and followed the U.S. military into Afghanistan. His brother then headed to the square, where he called Haythem to tell him he had found a charred white car with a license plate number written in the sand. But the Iraqis' hands are tied. Slattern was sentenced to life and the others to 30 years in prison each. [82][20] On June 5, 2012, the US Supreme Court declined to review the Appeal Court ruling, allowing the trial to proceed. [66] Howard Krongard, who was appointed Inspector General of the U.S. State Department in 2005,[67] resigned in December 2007 after he was accused by the House Oversight Committee of improperly interfering with investigations into the Blackwater Baghdad shootings. Some witnesses also claimed that the same Blackwater team subsequently opened fire on another line of traffic after the shooting in Nisour Square. NOW ON DVD www.noendinsightmovie.com The first film of its kind to chronicle the reasons behind Iraq's descent into guerilla war, warlord rule, criminality . The incident led to at least five investigations and although the Blackwater guards repeatedly claimed that their actions were justified, several of them came to the opposite conclusion. However, according to "Blackwater" by Jeremy Scahill, the report was written by Darren Hanner, a Blackwater contractor. But this was likely due to the fact that the U.S.Iraq Status of Forces Agreement, which took effect in 2009, ended contractor immunity. But according to ICD, some of the plaintiffs claimed that they were "forced to accept the settlement.". He hid behind the police traffic booth, but shots came directly at him, hitting the adjacent traffic light and booth's door, and he fled back across Yarmouk road to safety behind a hill. Finally, around 5 p.m., he phoned his brother who worked at the hospital closest to Nissour Square. "Please, we want to live in peace, surrounded by friends not killers. With experience learned from a similar lawsuit filed two years ago against US contractors implicated in the infamous Abu Ghraib prison scandal, Burke O'Neil is perhaps the only law firm in the nation that could so quickly gather eyewitness and victim accounts, make the right legal arguments and begin the process of holding Blackwater to account. [9], Blackwater guards claimed that the convoy was ambushed and that they fired at the attackers in defense of the convoy. The numerals and letters matched the family's plate. An order issued by the Coalition Provisional Authority in its departing days and still in force gives foreign private contractors immunity under Iraqi law. [55], On April 1, 2009, the Associated Press reported that forensic tests on bullets were inconclusive. On September 16, 2007, a car bomb went off in Baghdad, Iraq, near the Izdihar Compound, where a U.S. diplomat was meeting with Iraqi officials, at approximately 11:53 AM. Assadi, 31, a stoic, unsmiling man, became the head of the family after his older brother Usama was killed in the shootings. The Intercept reports that others who tried to run for cover were killed by machine gunfire. Black Water is a 2007 Australian horror film written and directed by Andrew Traucki and David Nerlich. The 2007 incident in Baghdad's Nisoor Square caused an international outcry. The line of bullet holes in one side door is overshadowed by the two soccer-ball-size holes in the roof and driver's side door. Fifteen minutes later, 17 Iraqi civilians were dead, dozens more wounded, and a white sedan that had been engulfed in flames contained two bodies charred beyond recognition. Blackwater has made more than $1.5 billion in "security" contracts in Iraq alone since 2003. According to The New York Times, after the initial gunfire on the first car, the Blackwater guards "unleashed an overwhelming barrage of gunfire" onto Iraqi people who were trying to flee. Circuit Holds It Cruel and Unusual to Impose Mandatory Thirty-Year Sentence on Military Contractors for Gun Charge, "Former Blackwater contractor found guilty of murder in Iraq massacre", "Former Blackwater Guard Sentenced to Life for 2007 Baghdad Traffic-Circle Shooting", "Former Blackwater security contractor sentenced to life in Iraq shootings; In all, 10 men, two women and two boys, ages 9 and 11, were killed", "Blackwater Contractors Resentenced in 2007 Attack on Baghdad Civilians", "Survivors of Blackwater massacre in Iraq slam Trump's pardons for US guards behind killing", "Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding Executive Grants of Clemency", "Relative of Blackwater victim in Iraq says pardons 'unfair', "UN criticises Trump's pardons for Blackwater guards jailed over Iraq killings", "I Sued Blackwater for the Massacre of Iraqi Civilians. Blackwater Mercenaries Filmed on a Rampage in Iraq & Shooting Civilians from WarPosting After being leaked by a former employee of the notorious PMC, the footage dated April 2006 was featured in a piece called "The Warrior Class" by Charles Glass. Film Based on Blackwater Founder Erik Prince in the Works Meanwhile, although Moonen admitted that he was intoxicated, he maintained that he shot in self-defense. [14] The Iraqi government vowed to punish Blackwater. The Blackwater guards appeared to have fired grenade launchers in addition to machine guns, according to the report. I interviewed Khalaf on Nov. 30, in a small conference room inside a hotel in Istanbul, Turkey. And he contended that the helicopters never fired on those below. Although one military review found that "all of the killings were unjustified and potentially criminal," in November 2007, the FBI determined that only 14 out of the 17 killings were unjustified, according to Reuters. FBI investigators who visited the scene in the following days described it as the My Lai massacre of Iraq a reference to the infamous slaughter of civilian villagers by US troops during the Vietnam war in which only one soldier was convicted. In the span of 20 minutes, 17 Iraqi people were killed and another 24 were left wounded. Nisour Square massacre - Wikipedia Essentially, Prince wanted a "free-market version" of military training. In an instant, Ahmed was shot through the head. The car rolled forward a short way, hit a wall and stopped, said Hooby. Trump pardons Blackwater contractors jailed for massacre of Iraq But this convoy made an unexpected U-turn, drove the wrong way around the one-way square, stopped in the middle of it and started shooting. ", The State Department contacted Haythem and asked how much he wanted for compensation. [34], In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, Blackwater's rights to conduct work in Iraq were temporarily suspended. In August 2017, the D.C. [16] The FBI investigation found that, of the 17 Iraqis killed by the guards, at least 14 were shot without cause. [32] In response to the guards' killing of the Iraqi policeman, other Iraqi police officers began to fire at the Blackwater men, who communicated to the State Department operations center that they were under attack. This is the untold truth of the Blackwater massacre. However, according to The New York Times, the Iraqi government technically didn't have the legal authority to do so since the U.S.-led transitional government shielded security contractors from Iraqi laws, per CNN. Boslego also said the attack had a negative effect on our mission, [an] adverse effect It made our relationship with the Iraqis in general more strained.. Adrienne Ballenger . Unfortunately, Blackwater continued to operate in Iraq and the United States didn't cancel their contract. "All of a sudden, I felt pain in my right arm and left leg, opened the car door, and rolled out," said Hooby. This contract ended up being extended into 2006 and the total cost of that single contract came out to over $300 million. "I said their lives are priceless," said Haythem. [68][69], On September 24, 2007, the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior announced it would file criminal charges against the Blackwater staff involved in the shooting, although it is unclear how some of them will be brought to trial. Blackwater guards were also known for driving on the wrong side of the road and crashing into civilian cars. [26][27], On September 27, 2007, The New York Times reported that during the chaotic incident at Nisour Square, one member of the Blackwater security team continued to fire on civilians despite urgent cease-fire calls from colleagues. Trump's Blackwater Guard Pardons Cause Shock And Dismay : NPR The FBI also concluded that there was no evidence to support Blackwater's claims that they'd been fired upon by Iraqi civilians. His brother left behind a wife and four children. Blackwater in Baghdad: "It was a horror movie" - Human Rights Watch Share this via Reddit He watched as all four cars drove away as the 15-minute shooting spree ended, and huddled in fear as the helicopters began firing. The UN has sharply criticised President Donald Trump's decision to pardon four former Blackwater . [48] According to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice promised a "fair and transparent" investigation into the incident. Blackwater Guards Found Guilty in 2007 Iraq Killings He was shot through the roof of his car as the Blackwater convoy drove past firing down into traffic. [42] A spokesman stated that the ban would last for the duration of the investigation, and that it would not be permanent. Around midday on September 16, 2007, Ahmed Haithem Ahmed and his mother Mohassin were driving to the hospital to pick up Ahmed's father, Haythem, who worked as a pathologist. However, the company was allowed to continue to operate in Iraq until January 2009 when the U.S.Iraq Status of Forces Agreement took effect. With Georgia Chris, Amy Simon, McCayne Blomberg, Jenny Robinson. Then the mother was shot dead before his eyes. One of the men I met in Istanbul wrote me after I returned home. Khalaf's observations are backed up by official accounts, including leaked FBI findings, which concluded that at least 14 of the 17 shooting deaths were unjustified, and statements by military officials disputing Blackwater's claim that its guards had been fired upon or under any sort of attack. The White House further stated that the Court of Appeals "ruled that additional evidence should have been presented at Mr Slatten's trial", and recently that prosecutors said "that the lead Iraqi investigator, who prosecutors relied heavily on to verify that there were no insurgent victims and to collect evidence, may have had ties to insurgent groups himself". What's Blackwater massacre? Donald Trump pardons guards behind - MEAWW He waited and waited, and eventually went home without them. [12] On October 4, 2007, the U.S. House passed a bill that would make all private contractors working in Iraq and other combat zones subject to the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act[65] [93], On December 19, 2018, Slatten was found guilty of murder[94] and again was sentenced to life in prison on August 14, 2019. The report further said that Blackwater had reported that its forces fired first in over 80 percent of the cases. The Blackwater Shooting (2007) | The New York Times - YouTube Haythem, the composed, articulate and powerfully calm father and husband of Ahmed and Mohasin, who died in the white car, expected them to pick him up at the health center where he worked that afternoon. The 2004 Fallujah Blackwater incident occurred on March 31, 2004, when Iraqi insurgents attacked a convoy containing four American contractors from the private military company Blackwater USA who were conducting a delivery for food caterers ESS. [97], On December 22, 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump granted full presidential pardons to Slatten, Slough, Liberty, and Heard. And it's estimated that at least one other person died from the second shooting incident. Blackwater Security Consulting, also known as Blackwater Worldwide, was founded in 1997 by Al Clark and Erik Prince as a private security firm. The other three guards faced decades in prison; the weapons charges carried a minimum 30-year sentence under a law enacted during the 1990s cocaine epidemic. He watched, he said, as the Blackwater convoy made the U-turn toward the street where he stood directing traffic. Erik Prince said that he didn't believe the FBI had fully investigated the sources of all the used bullets in Nisour Square, arguing that it would have been helpful if the defense had been in possession of a complete ballistics report. The massacre took place in 2007, when the four were working as guards for Blackwater, a private military contractor, on an assignment in Baghdad. Between 2004 and 2008, the State Department ended giving Blackwater more than $1 billion in contracts. U.S. military reports appear to corroborate the Iraqi government's contention that Blackwater was at fault in the incident. In Nisour Square, the Blackwater team later claimed that they were "engaged with small arms fire" by an "estimated 8-10 persons." [92] However, the court then found that the mandatory minimum sentences as applied to the defendants were unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishments, over the partial dissent of Judge Judith W. None of the bullets the lab had available could be matched to the rifles used by the guards. Even General David Petraeus and former ambassador Ryan Crocker, top officials in charge of Iraq policy at the time of the massacre, issued a joint statement called the pardons "hugely damaging, an action that tells the world that Americans abroad can commit the most heinous crimes with impunity.".
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