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Blackwater Grand Jury Convenes Today in D.C.
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ShareNovember 27, 2007 3:12 PM
Two Blackwater security guards arrived at a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., today as federal prosecutors took the next step in their investigation of a Sept. 16 shooting in Baghdad that left at least 17 civilians dead.
An initial finding by the FBI reportedly concluded that at least 14 of the deaths violated U.S. rules of engagement.
The two guards who were subpoenaed to appear today were not among the five Blackwater guards who did most of the shooting, according to sources familiar with the case.
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The sources said the two were considered to be witnesses, not targets of the grand jury.
An ABC News reporter at the federal courthouse saw the two men enter the grand jury area with a lawyer. Lead Department of Justice prosecutor Ken Kohl was also seen in the area.
The two guards were identified to ABCNews.com by their first names only, as Adam and Mark.
Mark, in a sworn statement given to State Department investigators shortly after the shooting, gave a version of events that contradicted other descriptions of insurgents firing on the convoy being guarded.
"At no time while pulling security in my sector did I observe any enemy combatants or observe any hostile activity which threatened our motorcade," he said in the statement, obtained by ABCNews.com.
Statements by other Blackwater guards included references to possible enemy fire.
It was not known if both men testified before the grand jury which had to break at 5 p.m. to let the jurors go home.
This post has been updated.
Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?
November 27, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (6)
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Time for another liberal witch hunt to cover up their support for terrorism. Yayyy!
Posted by: Neo Politicus | Nov 27, 2007 6:27:48 PM
Yeah, Nobody fuels terrorism like finger pointing neo-cons.
Posted by: Hippie | Nov 27, 2007 11:04:01 PM
Condi and the STATE DEPT have protected the whole contractor mess, not just this killing. CASE CLOSED...NEXT...as an aside..overheard recently by the famous JOHN BOLTON..."I AM NOT A NEO-CON"...many will be jumping that ship very quickly
Posted by: daddy | Nov 28, 2007 1:49:53 PM
The use of private guards to guard Americans is stupid. Due to the fact there is no accountabilityfor these contractors. Actualy a hired army. This type of for hire solders are called mercinaries.
Posted by: John McMichael | Nov 29, 2007 10:36:12 AM
Yeah. And, John McMichael? That was the Administration's goal, less accountability. Makes it harder to blame them for screw ups. Also, let's them understate how many personnel are needed for Iraq's reconstruction.
Posted by: blablabla | Nov 30, 2007 6:49:14 PM
Why not allow the trial to run it course before blabbing and blaming an almost silly liberal witch hunt to cover up their support for terrorism. If we still have a constitution and an honest Judicial System everyone will use their American Right to speak up in their defense and be heard then judged.
Isn't this what we want from our Government.
Posted by: dras | Dec 5, 2007 3:50:05 PM
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