Iraq to sue Blackwater on behalf of victims

[joeblow]

Iraq to sue Blackwater on behalf of victims
Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:44:50 GMT

http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=1 ... =351020201



Ali al-Dabbagh, the Iraqi government's spokesman

Iraq said Tuesday it will seek justice against Blackwater on behalf of the families of those who were killed at Baghdad shooting in 2007.

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the cabinet has decided to open new case against five Blackwater guards who opened fire at Iraqi civilians, killing 17 at a Baghdad traffic circle in 2007.

"The council [of Ministers] decided during its session on Tuesday to sue the US security company Blackwater instead of the victims' families," Voices of Iraq news agency quoted Dabbagh as saying.

Iraq pledged to seek justice against them in the US and Iraq after a US federal judge dropped all charges against them last week.

The guards were charged with 17 counts of manslaughter, 20 counts of attempting to commit manslaughter and one count of weapons violation.

Dabbagh has promised that the government will facilitate a lawsuit from Iraqi citizens to sue the guards and the company in a US court.

SB/MD
Related Stories:

    * Iraq seeks justice against Blackwater
    * Iraq to back lawsuit against Blackwater guards
    * Iraq 'regrets' US court ruling on Blackwater

[Travis]

Under this system that got two hopes, Bob Hope and No hope

[§N9sh2bj]

Wasting time in equity.

[Ahmed]

If the new definition of 'sue' is: shoot the Zionist scum on sight, then by all means sue.

Blackwater or Xe or whatever they're calling themselves this week, are the scum of the Earth; slap a bounty on them as one would any common criminal, they'll be taggin' and baggin' those filthy mercs in no time.

[Christopher Marlowe]

Iraq will sue Blackwater. And then the monkeys will fly out of Paul Bremmer's butt.

From wikipedia:
Two days before he left Iraq, Bremer signed "Order 17" giving all staff associated with the CPA and the American government immunity from Iraqi law. One of his former top aides is quoted as saying, "we wanted to make sure our military, civilians and contractors were protected from Iraqi law." This stipulation was later incorporated into Iraqi law.

From: COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY ORDER NUMBER 17 (REVISED)
STATUS OF THE COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY, MNF - IRAQ,
CERTAIN MISSIONS AND PERSONNEL IN IRAQ

"4) "CPA Personnel" means all non-Iraqi civilian and military personnel assigned to, or
under the direction or control of, the Administrator of the CPA.
...
11) "Contractors" means non-Iraqi legal entities or individuals not normally resident in
Iraq, including their non-Iraqi employees and Subcontractors not normally resident in
Iraq, supplying goods or services in Iraq under a Contract.
...
12) "Contract" means:
a) a contract or grant agreement with the CPA or any successor agreement thereto, or
a contract or grant agreement with a Sending State, to supply goods or services in
Iraq
...
1) Unless provided otherwise herein, the MNF, the CPA, Foreign Liaison Missions, their
Personnel, property, funds and assets, and all International Consultants shall be
immune from Iraqi legal process.
...
3) All MNF, CPA and Foreign Liaison Mission Personnel, and International Consultants
shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of their Sending States. They shall be
immune from any form of arrest or detention other than by persons acting on behalf of
their Sending States...
...
Section 4
Contractors
...
3) Contractors shall be immune from Iraqi legal process with respect to acts performed
by them pursuant to the terms and conditions of a Contract or any sub-contract
thereto.
...
Section 5
Waiver of Legal Immunity and Jurisdiction
1) Immunity from Iraqi legal process of MNF, CPA and Foreign Liaison Mission
Personnel, International Consultants and Contractors is not for the benefit of the
individuals concerned and may be waived pursuant to this Section.
...
3) Requests to waive immunity for Contractors shall be referred to the relevant Sending
State in relation to the act or acts for which waiver is sought. Such a waiver, if
granted, must be express and in writing to be effective.

From:
Blackwater Case Will Go to Iraqi Criminal Courts; NYT September 22, 2007

The Iraqi government expects to refer criminal charges to the Iraqi courts within days in the killing of at least eight Iraqis by a private American security company, the State Minister for National Security Affairs said today...
The minister, Shirwan al-Waili, who has been closely involved in the Iraqi investigation, said that the inquiry was largely completed, and he made it clear that he believed the findings were definitive.

"The shots fired on the Iraqis were unjustifiable," Mr. Waili said. "It was harsh and horrible."

Although Mr. Waili did not spell out exactly what the investigative committee would recommend to the Iraqi criminal court, a preliminary report of findings by the Interior Ministry, National Security Ministry and Defense Ministry stated that, "the murder of citizens in cold blood in al-Nissour area by the Blackwater is considered a terrorist action against the civilians just like any other terrorist operations."
"The criminals will be referred to the Iraqi court system," it stated.

The shooting at issue began near midday on Sunday when guards for the private security firm Blackwater USA fired at Iraqi civilians for reasons that neither the company nor the United States government, which is also investigating, have yet fully explained. Blackwater provides security for American diplomatic personnel in Baghdad.
...
The embassy official said he had not heard that the Iraqi government was preparing to forward the Blackwater case to the Iraqi justice system. "In all honesty I'm not aware of that," the official said. "I don't think they've communicated that to us government-to-government."
...
Whatever the outcome of that legal process, it is clear from a report on the Iraqi investigation recently obtained by The New York Times that the Iraqi government believes the case warrants murder charges. Mr. Waili declined to comment directly on whether he believes the results of the Iraqi investigation warrant murder charges. But even if such findings are referred to Iraqi courts, it is unclear what real legal peril would be faced by Blackwater or any of its employees. A provision originally called Order 17, signed by L. Paul Bremer, then the top American administrator in Iraq, was later enshrined into Iraqi law, effectively giving security companies working for the United States government immunity against prosecution for acts committed here.

Perhaps for that reason, no Western contractors of any kind are known to have been convicted of any crimes in Iraq.

[MikeWB]

While they're at it, they should also sue USA for invading them. :lol:

What a waste of time... people who are behind this lawsuit are dumber than dirt.

[Travis]

While they're at it, they should also sue USA for invading them. :lol:

What a waste of time... people who are behind this lawsuit are dumber than dirt.

Yoo Mike how dare insult dirt in that way! From dirt grows flowers, and trees. They are dumber than shit!

Yoo Travis how dare you insult shit in that way!

[GordZilla]

While they're at it, they should also sue USA for invading them. :lol:

What a waste of time... people who are behind this lawsuit are dumber than dirt.

Yoo Mike how dare insult dirt in that way! From dirt grows flowers, and trees. They are dumber than shit!

Yoo Travis how dare you insult shit in that way!

Too funny ...sorry had to post my laughter  ...