Iraqi victims' families file lawsuit against Blackwater security co in US

[sabra]

Source: AFP/Thomson

WASHINGTON (Thomson Financial) - A US human rights group said it is filing a lawsuit against private security contractor Blackwater on behalf of a survivor and the families of three victims of a fatal shootout by the company's security guards in Baghdad on Sept 16.

The suit, filed in a Washington federal court accuses Blackwater of murder and war crimes and seeks unspecified damages, the Center for Constitutional Rights said.

An Iraqi government report released on Sunday said 17 people died in the unprovoked shooting and 22 were wounded when Blackwater guards opened fire on civilians in Nisoor Square, Baghdad.

Read more: http://www.hemscott.com/news/latest-news/item.do?newsId=51178830658165

[Ganja Ninja]

1. This should be good. n/t

[Barrett808]

2. Baghdad shooting victims sue Blackwater

Source: Reuters

Baghdad shooting victims sue Blackwater
By Randall Mikkelsen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An injured survivor and relatives of three Iraqis killed in Baghdad on September 16 when employees of private security company Blackwater USA opened fire on civilians sued the firm in U.S. court on Thursday.

The Center for Constitutional Rights, a legal advocacy group, said it filed the suit charging that Blackwater and its affiliates violated U.S. law in committing "extrajudicial killings and war crimes."

The killing of 17 Iraqis in the Baghdad incident created tensions between the Iraqi government and Washington and sparked calls for tighter controls on private contractors, who are immune from prosecution in Iraq.

The suit charges that Blackwater "created and fostered a culture of lawlessness amongst its employees, encouraging them to act in the company's financial interests at the expense of innocent human life."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071011/ts_nm/iraq_blackwater_suit_dc

[soothsayer]

3. Good luck. It'll just go to the supreme court here and be thrown out.

Or do they sue them in the iraqi court system? in which case...it will go to the iraqi supreme court and be thrown out.