Blackwater Founder Linked to Investigators' Murders

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 5, 2009 5:00 AM CDT

(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.

Prince "views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe," and deployed others with the same outlook to Iraq, one of the men testified. The sworn statements came as part of a civil lawsuit filed against Prince on behalf of Iraqis who say their relatives were unlawfully killed by Blackwater guards. A statement from Blackwater accused the men of slandering Prince, who recently stepped down from the company.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (2)]

Erik Prince, founder and CEO of Blackwater Worldwide, talks at Blackwater's offices in Moyock, NC, last year. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Blackwater USA founder Erik Prince testifies before the House Oversight Committee hearing examining the mission and performance of Blackwater in Iraq and Afghanistan in this 2007 photo. (AP Photos/Susan Walsh)

Plainclothes contractors working for Blackwater USA take part in a firefight in Iraq in 2004. (AP Photo/Gervasio Sanchez)

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Mr. Prince feared, and continues to fear, that the federal authorities will detect and prosecute his various criminal deeds. Many incriminating videotapes, documents and emails have been shredded and destroyed.
- 'John Doe #2'

Blackwater knew that certain of its personnel intentionally used excessive and unjustified deadly force, and in some instances used unauthorized weapons, to kill or seriously injure innocent Iraqi civilians. - 'John Doe #1'

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