Report: Contractors involved in shooting (in Iraq, 9 people dead)

[ProSense]

Report: Contractors involved in shooting

Associated Press - September 16, 2007 1:33 PM ET

BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraqi police are reporting a deadly shooting involving security contractors and civilians in western Baghdad.

They say at least nine people are dead and 18 wounded.

A witness reports seeing a convoy of SUVs pass by, then the sound of a bomb explosion. The gunfire that followed lasted for about 20 minutes.

The U.S. Embassy says State Department contractors were involved in an incident, but gave no further details.

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Maliki vows to punish contractors involved in Baghdad shooting

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraq's prime minister has vowed to punish private security contractors blamed for a gun battle in western Baghdad that left eight civilians dead Sunday, state television network reported.

The firefight took place near Nisoor Square about noon, an Interior Ministry official told CNN. In addition to the fatalities, 14 people were wounded, most of them civilians, the official said. Details were sketchy, but the official said witnesses said one side of the gun battle involved Westerners driving sport-utility vehicles, which are usually used by security contractors.

The state television network al-Iraqiya reported that a Western security company was involved in the shootout, but it did not identify the firm. (Posted: 6:09 p.m.)

[peacetalksforall]

1. Read it fast - they will try to kill this one.

[Toots]

2. Iraq's prime minister has vowed to punish private security contractors

Sorry but Bush* gave all US Contractors a get out of jail free card. They can do any damn thing they please and cannot be held accountable. No one will punish these men for anything....

[AlCzervik]

3. Good luck Maliki, Contractors don't have to abide by any laws.

[superkia]

4. Atleast he didnt ignore it like our government would have. Get em!

[ProSense]

5. Blackwater License Being Pulled in Iraq

Blackwater License Being Pulled in Iraq

By BASSEM MROUE
The Associated Press
Monday, September 17, 2007; 7:16 AM

BAGHDAD -- The Interior Ministry said Monday that it was pulling the license of an American security firm allegedly involved in the fatal shooting of civilians during an attack on a U.S. State Department motorcade in Baghdad.

The ministry said it would prosecute any foreign contractors found to have used excessive force in the Sunday incident.

Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul-Karim Khalaf said eight people were killed and 13 were wounded when security contractors working for Blackwater USA opened fire in a predominantly Sunni neighborhood of western Baghdad.

"We have canceled the license of Blackwater and prevented them from working all over Iraqi territory. We will also refer those involved to Iraqi judicial authorities," Khalaf said.

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Iraq orders halt to US security firm's operations

13 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani has ordered the cancellation of the operating licence of US security firm Blackwater after it was involved in a shootout that killed eight people, a senior offical said Monday.

"The interior minister has issued an order to cancel Blackwater's licence and the company is prohibited from operating anywhere in Iraq," interior ministry director of operations Major General Abdel Karim Khalaf told AFP.

"We have opened a criminal investigation against the group who committed the crime."

morre

Iraq vows justice over security contractor killings

37 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq pledged on Monday to punish foreign security contractors involved in an incident in western Baghdad in which 11 people were killed.

An Interior Ministry spokesman said the contractors, working for a U.S. security firm, "opened fire randomly at citizens" on Sunday after mortar rounds landed near their cars.

"We formed a committee to investigate the incident and withdraw the license from this company and also to deliver those who committed this act to the court," Brigadier-General Abdul-Karim Khalaf told Reuters.

The U.S. military said on Sunday security contractors working for the State Department were involved in an incident, but gave no further details.

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