Blackwater tried to take aircraft out of Iraq

[unhappycamper]

Blackwater tried to take aircraft out of Iraq
By Richard Lardner - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Oct 19, 2007 22:39:05 EDT

Blackwater USA tried to take at least two Iraqi military aircraft out of Iraq two years ago and refused to give the planes back when Iraqi officials sought to reclaim them, according to a congressional committee investigating the private security contractor.

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, wants the company to provide all documents related to the attempted shipment and to explain where the aircraft are now.

In a letter sent Friday to Erik Prince, Blackwater’s top executive, Waxman said he learned of the 2005 attempt from a military official who contacted the committee. That official is not identified in the letter, nor is the type of aircraft.

Waxman also is seeking a sweeping amount of information about Blackwater’s business, including its contracts with the federal government, profits made since the company was founded a decade ago, Prince’s personal earnings since 2001 and details about the payments to the families of Iraqis killed by Blackwater personnel.

Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell said the company is cooperating with the committee but declined to comment further.

When Prince testified before the oversight committee Oct. 2, he was asked to disclose financial data but declined to do so in an open setting, noting it would give his competitors an unfair edge.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/10/ap_blackwater_aircraft_071019/

[saigon68]

1. These people are "Free Booters"

Kind of like Captain Morgan in the Caribbean 400 years ago.

They are given a charter, basically to loot and plunder

[jimshoes]

2. Like pirates

only nastier.