WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Five guards from
Blackwater security firm were charged Monday by U.S. authorities for killing 14
Iraqi civilians last year.
The defendants surrendered to authorities and will
appear later in a federal court in Salt Lake City, Utah.
But the U.S. government said it intends to try them
in Washington, where support for the war in Iraq isn't likely to be as strong as
in the Western state.
The manslaughter and weapons violations charges
against the five defendants carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 30 years
and the penalty for manslaughter is 10 years, officials said.
 |
|
Patrick Rowan, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's National Security Division, announces a 35-count indictment on five Blackwater security guards during a news conference in Washington December 8, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Photo Gallery>>> |
U.S. Assistant Attorney General Patrick Rowan and
other federal officials said that the charges serve as "a reminder" that anyone
who engages "in unprovoked attacks will be held accountable."
A sixth Blackwater guard pleaded guilty last week to
voluntary manslaughter and related charges.
The Blackwater firm which wasn't charged in the case,
argued in a statement that the defendants "acted within the rules set forth for
them by the government."
On Sept. 16, 2007, at least six Blackwater guards
opened fire with automatic weapons and grenade launchers on unarmed Iraqi
civilians in Baghdad after a car bomb exploded.
The U.S. government accused the guards of causing the
deaths of14 unarmed civilians and injuring 20 others. Three other fatalities
weren't included in the charges.
None of the victims were insurgents and many were
shot while inside their cars as they attempted to flee the scene, the indictment
said.
After the incident, the U.S. government began
investigating Blackwater, a private security contractor hired to protect State
Department personnel in Iraq.
Following that, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced procedures for closer oversight and accountability for almost 10,000 private security personnel in Iraq.
