His brother left behind a wife and four children. Associated Press WASHINGTON Four former Blackwater Worldwide security guards were convicted and immediately jailed Wednesday for their roles in a deadly 2007 shooting in Baghdad's Nisour Square. Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3)nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808. The audit also revealed that Blackwater overbilled at least $70,000 in travel costs. At stake is the future of other innocent lives, as well as America's reputation throughout the Middle East and across the world. A burnt car at the site where Blackwater guards opened fire on a crowd in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2007. This contract ended up being extended into 2006 and the total cost of that single contract came out to over $300 million. Black Water is a 2007 Australian horror film written and directed by Andrew Traucki and David Nerlich. The Nisour Square massacre was one of the lowest episodes of the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. He spent the next three days in the hospital and underwent major surgery on his right arm, which was fractured by a bullet. [6][85][86] Jurors sided with prosecutors' contention that the shooting was a criminal act, not a battlefield encounter gone wrong. The BBC reports that during Slatten's second trial in 2018, a mistrial was declared after the jury deliberated for 16 days. [29] Several sources have stated that the explosion was caused by a mortar round, though this is not reflected in the State Department's incident report. Even General David Petraeus and former ambassador Ryan Crocker, top officials in charge of Iraq policy at the time of the massacre, issued a joint statement called the pardons "hugely damaging, an action that tells the world that Americans abroad can commit the most heinous crimes with impunity.". [37], Henry Waxman, the chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which held hearings on the use of Private Security Contractors in February 2007, said his committee would hold hearings "to understand what has happened and the extent of the damage to U.S. security interests". His brother went to the emergency room, then to the morgue. [1][2][3] The killings outraged Iraqis and strained relations between Iraq and the United States. Inspired by the true story of a crocodile attack in Australia's Northern Territory in December 2003, a . Join our movement today. "[46] Hasan Jaber Salman, a lawyer who was one of the wounded, said that "no one did anything to provoke Blackwater" and that "as we turned back they opened fire at all cars from behind"[61] An Iraqi police officer who was directing traffic at the scene said Blackwater guards "became the terrorists" when they opened fire on civilians unprovoked, while a businessman said he wasn't seeking compensation but only "the truth" from the guards. Of the 17 that lost their lives, two were children under the age of 12, with the youngest aged 9 years old. [24] The driver of the Kia was shot once in the head by a Blackwater contractor and was killed. The order confines most Americans to a 3.5 square miles (9.1km2) area in the center of the city so that they are unable to visit other areas without traveling in a helicopter. Prince's remarks were subsequently reported in the Washington Post.). [40], On October 11, 2007, the Center for Constitutional Rights filed suit against Blackwater USA under the Alien Tort Claims Act on behalf of an injured Iraqi and the families of three of the seventeen Iraqis who were killed by Blackwater employees during the September 16, 2007, shooting incident. Fifteen minutes later, the four-car convoy continued around the square and drove away. No! Finally, around 5 p.m., he phoned his brother who worked at the hospital closest to Nissour Square. The film's primary themes are: In fact, they even renewed the contract in 2008. the American security company Blackwater ("Black water") was founded in 1997, seal commando Erik Prince and shooting coach al Clark. Essentially, Prince wanted a "free-market version" of military training. They were also contracted for personal protective services in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Haiti, Israel, and Palestine. The man was Ahmed, a 20-year-old medical student at the top of his class, and the woman his mother, Mohasin, a successful dermatologist and mother of three. The Burke O'Neil lawsuit may be the only way that victims receive compensation for their loss. The pardons are one of several the US president has granted to American service personnel and contractors accused or convicted of crimes against non-combatants and civilians in war zones. I interviewed Khalaf on Nov. 30, in a small conference room inside a hotel in Istanbul, Turkey. [45] Also, it is not clear whether the license revocation is permanent. However, according to Reuters, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, claiming that "the U.S. government had recklessly violated the defendants' constitutional rights." With the contract to provide security for L. Paul Bremer, Blackwater essentially "cement[ed] its presence at the center of conflict in Iraq," per PBS. It's all the news that's fit to watch. According to Reuters, in 2009, the State Department finally decided not to renew their contract with Blackwater in Iraq. Share this via Email Sadly, this lawsuit may be the only way that the victims and their families receive remotely adequate compensation for their losses. Blackwater has been one of the biggest recipients. Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe. [19] According to this account, the security team fired warning shots and then lethal fire at the Kia. Four young women tourists are hunted by ruthless woodsmen in the Florida Everglades. [95][96] Heard, Liberty, and Slough were resentenced on September 5, 2019 to terms approximately half the original 30-year periods. The Nisour Square massacre occurred on September 16, 2007, when employees of Blackwater Security Consulting (now Constellis), a private military company contracted by the US government to provide security services in Iraq, shot at Iraqi civilians, killing 17 and injuring 20 in Nisour Square, Baghdad, while escorting a U.S. embassy convoy. His brother then headed to the square, where he called Haythem to tell him he had found a charred white car with a license plate number written in the sand. Share this via LinkedIn In 2008, the United States Department of Justice filed criminal charges against Donald Ball, Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty, Nicholas Slatten (pictured, center), and Paul Slough, all of whom were Blackwater guards during the Nisour Square massacre. [14] The Iraqi government vowed to punish Blackwater. But according to ICD, some of the plaintiffs claimed that they were "forced to accept the settlement.". An error occurred while subscribing your email address. FBI scientists couldn't match bullets from the square to guns carried by the Blackwater guards and FBI investigators found foreign cartridge cases of a kind not used by U.S. or Blackwater personnel. [89][90][91] The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit's fractured per curiam decision first found that Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act authorized the prosecutions, over the partial dissent of Judge Janice Rogers Brown. As Raven 23 was departing Nisour Square, several members continued to discharge their weapons, causing additional civilian deaths and injuries. "I thought I was dying.". In the span of 20 minutes, 17 Iraqi people were killed and another 24 were left wounded. Some of the Iraqis told me that they don't even care about the money. And none of the I.P. The deceased included nine and 11-year-old boys. This time, only four out of the five guards were charged, since the charges against Ball were dropped based on "prosecutorial discretion. Although Blackwater denies using helicopters, "at least one [of] the car roofs had bullets through them.". [71], In December 2008, the United States Department of Justice announced it was filing criminal charges against five of the Blackwater employees, and ordered them to surrender to the FBI. In August 2017, the D.C. [54], Radio logs released in December 2008 seemed to affirm that the guards had been responding to an attack on September 16. The Iraqi government and Iraqi police investigator Faris Saadi Abdul stated that the killings were unprovoked. [7][8] U.N. experts said this "violated U.S. obligations under international law". He identified his wife of 20 years by a dental bridge. In one of the most in-depth collection of testimonials to date regarding Blackwater, Khalaf was among five witnesses and victims flown from Baghdad to meet with Susan Burke, William O'Neil and their team of lawyers and investigators. Prince strongly criticized the way in which federal authorities had handled the investigation and disputed the claims that U.S. or Blackwater personnel were to blame for the shootings. Within 10 days of the massacre, it appeared as though the State Department had already investigated the incident based on a report leaked to the media. Recent episodes in U.S. 1:08 'Look at That Thing': Footage Shows. [99], Clemency caused outrage among Iraqi citizens and family members of the victims. The Blackwater guards appeared to have fired grenade launchers in addition to machine guns, according to the report. Initially, they worked providing training support to law enforcement and the justice department, but as Prince once stated, their "corporate goal [was] to do for the national security apparatus what FedEx did to the postal service." The line of bullet holes in one side door is overshadowed by the two soccer-ball-size holes in the roof and driver's side door. [80], On April 22, 2011, after closed-door testimony, a federal appeals-court panel revived the Justice Department's prosecution of the former Blackwater Worldwide guards by reinstating the manslaughter charges against the five men. When he got out of his car to find out what was happening, he saw the convoy and the white car burning, and started yelling at the other cars to turn around. [37] A senior aide to al-Maliki said that three of the Blackwater guards were Iraqis and could be subject to prosecution. [89][90][91] The panel also recommended that Slatten undergo a re-trial on the grounds that it was unjustifiable to try him with his co-defendants, and that he should have been tried separately. Director Pasha Patriki Writers Chad Law Tyler W. Konney Richard Switzer Stars Jean-Claude Van Damme Dolph Lundgren Al Sapienza See production, box office & company info Watch on Freevee Watch Free on Freevee More watch options At the sentencing, the US attorneys office said in a statement: The sheer amount of unnecessary human loss and suffering attributable to the defendants criminal conduct on 16 September 2007 is staggering., After news of the pardon emerged on Tuesday night, Brian Heberlig, a lawyer for one of the four pardoned Blackwater defendants, said: Paul Slough and his colleagues didnt deserve to spend one minute in prison. Ahmed Haythem and his mother, Mohasin, were both killed in the Blackwater shootings in Baghdad on September 16, 2007. Supporters of the former contractors at Blackwater Worldwide had lobbied for the pardons, arguing that the men had been excessively punished. Blackwater's owner, Erik Prince, recently said his company is spending $2 million a month in legal . Ghasson Mahmood was a 55-year-old civil engineer. In a panic, Hooby turned his car around and was leaving the area when the convoy approached from behind, throwing water bottles at the roof of his car. [12] On October 4, 2007, the U.S. House passed a bill that would make all private contractors working in Iraq and other combat zones subject to the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act[65] It was funded with millions that Prince inherited from the . The screenplay was originally written by Stuart Beattie, with Roskam penning the most recent draft. "[51][52][53], On January 19, 2008, The New York Times reported that the contractor responsible for many of the deaths in the engagement, previously known only as "turret gunner no. He waited and waited, and eventually went home without them. [19] The three justifiable killings were those of the two passengers in the white Kia sedan and an unidentified Iraqi nearby. Share this via Reddit The large metal rod implanted by the surgeon to help his broken bone heal properly is expected to be removed at the end of December. Khalaf's observations are backed up by official accounts, including leaked FBI findings, which concluded that at least 14 of the 17 shooting deaths were unjustified, and statements by military. Blackwater Mercenaries Filmed on a Rampage in Iraq & Shooting Civilians from WarPosting After being leaked by a former employee of the notorious PMC, the footage dated April 2006 was featured in a piece called "The Warrior Class" by Charles Glass. "Convoys are common," explained Khalaf. Prince's prepared testimony also asserted that one of the vehicles had been disabled by the "enemy fire" and had to be towed. [37][38] The incident caused Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to call on the U.S. government to end its contract with Blackwater USA,[39] and for the Iraqi government to push for an apology, compensation for victims or their families and for the guards involved in the shooting to be held "accountable". [82][20] On June 5, 2012, the US Supreme Court declined to review the Appeal Court ruling, allowing the trial to proceed. According to the civil lawsuit filed against Blackwater by Saadoon's family, Moonen was drunk when he shot and killed Saadoon "for no reason." Although one military review found that "all of the killings were unjustified and potentially criminal," in November 2007, the FBI determined that only 14 out of the 17 killings were unjustified, according to Reuters. In the last month of his term, U.S. President Donald Trump issued pardons to Slatten, Slough, Liberty, and Heard. [73], The trial was set for early 2010,[74] but the charges were dismissed by United States District Court for the District of Columbia Judge Ricardo Urbina on December 31, 2009, who ruled that the Justice Department had mishandled evidence and violated the guards' constitutional rights. In this 2007 video, witnesses shed light on the killing of 17 Iraqis by American contractors in Baghdad.Read the article here: http://nyti.ms/1u1cNzySubscribe to the Times Video newsletter for free and get a handpicked selection of the best videos from The New York Times every week: http://bit.ly/timesvideonewsletterSubscribe on YouTube: http://bit.ly/U8Ys7nWatch more videos at: http://nytimes.com/video---------------------------------------------------------------Want more from The New York Times?Twitter: https://twitter.com/nytvideoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nytimes Google+: https://plus.google.com/+nytimes/Whether it's reporting on conflicts abroad and political divisions at home, or covering the latest style trends and scientific developments, New York Times video journalists provide a revealing and unforgettable view of the world. The aide also said that the Iraqi government was pushing for an apology, compensation for victims or their families and for the guards involved in the shooting to be held "accountable". The film documents the use of chemical weapons, particularly the use of incendiary bombs, and alleges indiscriminate use of violence against civilians and children by military forces of the United States of America in the city of Fallujah in Iraq during the Fallujah Offensive of November 2004 . Fifteen minutes later, 17 Iraqi civilians were dead, dozens more wounded, and a white sedan that had been engulfed in flames contained two bodies charred beyond recognition. Five were charged with 14 counts of manslaughter, 20 counts of attempted manslaughter and a weapons violation: Donald Ball, a former Marine from West Valley City, Utah; Dustin Heard, a former Marine from Knoxville, Tennessee; Evan Liberty, a former Marine from Rochester, New Hampshire; Nicholas Slatten, a former army sergeant from Sparta, Tennessee, and Paul Slough, an army veteran from Keller, Texas. [21][75] In the memorandum opinion, Judge Urbina ruled the cases against Slough, Liberty, Heard, Ball, and Slatten had been improperly built on testimony given in exchange for immunity;[76] that evidence included statements the guards had been compelled to give to State Department investigators, and as these statements would have been self-incriminating, they could not be used as evidence under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. And despite subsequent trials, it's unclear if the victims of the massacre and their families got the justice they deserve. Director Mark Manning Writers Natalie Kalustian Mark Manning Stars Rana al Aiouby Tariq Ali Reza Aslan This wasn't the first time that Blackwater was involved in an unnecessary shooting. An American man and Iraqi woman joined forces to document the reality of life on the ground for Iraqi civilians and become the only outsiders to live with the people of Fallujah following the battle that destroyed their holy city.

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