Blackwater Grand Jury Resumes

[Robbien]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal grand jury investigating Blackwater Worldwide began its second day of work Thursday as an unidentified witness returned to the stand.

The Justice Department is investigating the government contractor for its security guards' involvement in the shooting deaths of 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad.

National security prosecutors Kenneth Kohl and Stephen Ponticiello, who are handling the Blackwater case, entered the grand jury room Thursday morning. Kohl brought with him two wrapping-paper-sized rolls of documents.

The grand jury began work earlier this week and heard from two witnesses. One of the men returned Thursday morning with his lawyer, who again refused to identify himself or his client.

. . .

The Justice Department says it likely will be months before it decides whether it can prosecute the guards, and it is trying now to pinpoint how many shooters in the Blackwater convoy could face charges. The contractors, hired to protect State Department officials in Iraq, operated in a legal gray area and it's unclear what liability they could face.

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