Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 15, 2008 9:07:58 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Blackwater Probe Hits Roadblocks

Posted Jan 16, 08 11:33 AM CST in Politics 

(Newser) – The Justice Department warned Congress last month that major legal obstacles stand in the way of any prosecution of private security firm Blackwater for a September shooting in Iraq, the New York Times reports. Immunity granted by the State Department to Blackwater employees represents a possible roadblock; Justice also has not resolved questions about whether federal law applies to Blackwater contractors.

A human-rights group, meanwhile, will issue today a report that argues that existing laws are sufficient to hold private contractors in Iraq accountable. What is actually lacking, Human Rights First contends in the investigation of the incident that killed at least 17 Iraqis, is the political will of a Bush administration mired in confusion, defensiveness, and "interagency finger-pointing."

Source New York Times

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Blackwater Probers Return to Baghdad

    Feb 21, 08 5:13 AM CST
    Blackwater Probers Return to Baghdad Federal authorities investigating the Blackwater shootings that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead will revisit the scene of the massacre this week. Prosecutors from the Justice Department have already arrived in Baghdad, to be joined by inspectors from the FBI. But the inquiry has been hamstrung by the American government's promise of immunity to Blackwater bodyguards who gave written testimony, writes AP. More »

  • US Seeks Iraqi Authority to Continue War

    Jan 25, 08 7:10 AM CST
    US Seeks Iraqi Authority to Continue War The White House is negotiating with Iraq what critics say is a treaty in all but name and could tie the hands of a future administration, reports the New York Times. The US is insisting on being granted continued authority to conduct the war and calling for legal protection for private contractors from the Baghdad government in a deal that administration officials expect will skirt requirements for Senate ratification. More »

  • US Ignored Warnings on Security Firms

    Dec 24, 07 9:21 PM CST
    US Ignored Warnings on Security Firms The Bush administration ignored repeated warnings about using private security contractors such as Blackwater in Iraq, the Washington Post reports. Despite the warnings from legal experts and military officials over the past two years, the US did not acknowledge the need for oversight—and, in fact, expanded the presence of such firms—until the killing 17 Iraqi civilians in September, the Post notes. More »

  • Blackwater Guard Kills NY Times Dog

    Dec 19, 07 4:35 AM CST
    Blackwater Guard Kills NY Times Dog Another fatal shooting by a Blackwater guard in Baghdad is under investigation by the US embassy. The victim this time is a dog kept by the staff of the New York Times, reports Reuters. The guard shot the dog, Hentish, last week before a visit by a diplomat to the Times compound. The private security company claims the pet attacked a bomb-sniffing dog. More »

  • State Dept.'s Inspector General Quits

    Dec 7, 07 5:40 PM CST
    State Dept.'s Inspector General Quits The State Department’s inspector general will step down next month, ending a tenure marked by controversy and allegations of conflicts of interest, the Washington Post reports. Critics accused Howard Krongard of impeding the Blackwater investigation, a charge he vigorously denied. He recused himself from the probe when it became public his brother sat on the company's advisory board. More »

In a file photo Plainclothes contractors working for Blackwater USA take part in a firefight as Iraqi demonstrators loyal to Muqtada Al Sadr attempt to advance on a facility being defended by U.S. and...   (Associated Press)
An Iraqi traffic policeman inspects a car destroyed Sept. 16, 2007, by a Blackwater security detail in al-Nisoor Square in Baghdad, Iraq in this Sept. 20, 2007 file photo. Blackwater Worldwide repaired...   (Associated Press)
Blackwater USA founder, Erik Prince, testifies before the House Oversight Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, in this Oct. 2, 2007 file photo. Blackwater Worldwide repaired and repainted its trucks...   (Associated Press)
Former Blackwater Worldwide employee Kenneth Wayne Cashwell, of Virginia Beach, Va., and family members arrive Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008,, at federal court at New Bern, N.C., where he was sentenced to...   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 2)

Tags

Iraq  • Bush administration  • Department of Justice  • State Department  • Blackwater  • immunity  • private security firm


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Politics Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »