Iraqi father vows to pursue U.S. lawsuit against Blackwater

[kpete]

Source: McClatchy


Iraqi father vows to pursue U.S. lawsuit against Blackwater
* Posted on Saturday, January 30, 2010

The last chance for victims of the bloody Nisoor Square shootings to have their day in court may rest on a Charlotte firm's lawsuit accusing Blackwater of reckless conduct in Iraq.

Mohammed Kinani, an Iraqi businessman whose 9-year-old son died in the 2007 shootings, said the North Carolina-based security firm has threatened him and offered him $20,000 to stop asking questions.

"I said I don't want anything," Kinani said. "All I need is for the Blackwater president to apologize for killing of my son. They refused to apologize."

The incident, where 30 civilians were killed or injured, remains a flashpoint over the use of private contractors in battle zones. Five Blackwater guards were accused in 14 deaths at the busy traffic circle outside Baghdad.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/83377.html

[Lorien]

1. Blackwater, as a "citizen", should face the death penalty for this. nt

[fascisthunter]

9. in this case, I'm all for the death penalty

[sulphurdunn]

2. Interesting point.

It would seem that Black Water employees are liable, as individuals, for their murderous actions in Iraq, but the Black Water corporation, and its owners, as newly created corporate persons, are not. :crazy:

[midnight]

8. Interesting.

[Jefferson23]

3. I truly wish this father all the luck in the world going forward with this action.

[MetaTrope]

4. No Associated Press story on this?

Well, imagine that!

[Solly Mack]

5. k/r

[sattahipdeep]

6. Do you want us to hate them more?

MOHAMMED KINANI: Blackwater’s regional manager said ‘We do not apologize. We do not apologize.’ I said, ‘You kill my son, and go on TV and publicly accuse me and all Iraqis of being mercenaries who intentionally have you kill us for the compensation. And you were under oath in front of Congress, and you tell me you will not apologize! What do you want, then? Why did you bring me here?’ He said, ’No, we will not apologize."

JEREMY SCHAHILL:Mohammed then confronted the Blackwater manager about the company’s claim the US military, not Blackwater, may have killed Ali.

MOHAMMED KINANI: I told the manager, ‘My son was killed in the car with me. How can you say it was the military? Do you want to stain the reputation the American army? The American Army is innocent of this. Why would you blame this on them? Do you want us to hate them more? Aren’t you an American company? And this is your national military? Why would you do this to your own? I told them, ‘We love the American army more than you do’.

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/1/29/exclusiveblackwaters_youngest_victim_father_of_9

[wtmusic]

7. If my 9-year-old son was killed by those trigger-happy yahoos

I would follow them to the ends of the earth. :grr:

[winyanstaz]

10. I agree...if they are a "citizen" then they should die like a citizen....

for murder when they kill innocent people.