Blackwater Takes Aim at NC Candidate

Vice president expresses his 'personal regret' for the case's outcome

(AP) - Joe Biden said today the US will appeal a court decision dismissing manslaughter charges against five Blackwater guards involved in a deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting. Biden expressed his "personal regret" for the shooting and said the Obama administration was disappointed by the dismissal. "A dismissal is not an acquittal," he said. More»

Iraqi accused in '04 incident got bloody lip from US captors

(NEWSER) - After capturing one of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq, three of the Navy SEALs involved in the operation now face assault charges for giving Ahmed Hashim Abed a bloody lip, military sources tell Fox News . Abed is said to have masterminded the 2004 murder and public mutilation of four Blackwater private security guards in Fallujah. More»

(NEWSER) - Two former Blackwater employees accused company founder and CEO Erik Prince of murder in statements filed in federal court this week, the Nation reports. The former guards, including an ex-Marine, say Prince may have either killed or facilitated the killing of operatives probing the security contractor's Iraq operations. The investigators were working on behalf of the federal government, according to the workers. They also accuse Prince of smuggling illegal weapons into Iraq and condoning the killing of civilians. More»

Virginia firm takes over security duties

(NEWSER) - Blackwater’s turbulent term in Iraq ends today with the expiration of its contract, CNN reports. The US opted not to renew the firm’s security services deal in January after Iraqi officials denied it a renewed operating license in the wake of a 2007 shooting in a public square. “We are honored to have provided this service for 5 years and are proud of our success,” said a rep. More»

(NEWSER) - Washington refused to renew Blackwater's contracts in Iraq, and Baghdad told the company to get out—but that doesn't mean it's actually left, the AP reports. The private mercenary firm, now called Xe, still runs ground operations and provides air security for US convoys, and may continue doing so until as late as September. More»