Article

2007-11-05 Iraq

Iraq set to revoke contractor immunity, BUT

The Iraqi parliament is poised to pass its first significant piece of legislation since the lawmakers went on summer recess a bill to remove immunity from expatriate security companies working there. The rare show of solidarity grows out of popular anger over the government's inability to prosecute employees of Blackwater USA for a Sept. 16 shooting incident that left 17 Iraqis dead.

Blackwater founder Erik Prince told The Washington Times this month that he would never hand over his employees to an Iraqi judicial system that he described as fatally flawed.

Doug Brooks, president of the International Peace Operations Association, which counts dozens of security companies among its members, warned that many companies would leave Iraq if the CPA order, known as Order 17, is completely removed.

If the parliament does approve the bill as drafted, it will be its first legislative achievement in months. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government has sent the lawmakers proposed legislation on oil and de-Ba'athification, but as yet parliament has refused to consider either one.

Asked whether the Iraqi parliament had the power to overturn Mr. Bremer's directive, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the regulation is Iraqi law and can be changed by the legislators.

However, Immunity vow stymies probe
The State Department promised Blackwater USA bodyguards immunity from prosecution in its investigation of last month's deadly shooting of 17 Iraqi civilians. As a result, it will likely be months before the United States can if ever bring criminal charges in the case that has infuriated the Iraqi government.

"Once you give immunity, you can't take it away," said a senior law-enforcement official familiar with the investigation.

All the Blackwater bodyguards involved both in the vehicle convoy and in at least two helicopters above were given the legal protections as investigators from the Bureau of Diplomatic Security sought to find out what happened. The bureau is an arm of the State Department.

Posted by trailing wife 2007-11-05 16:48|| || Front Page|| [11129 views ] Top

#1 Sorry, that was s'posed to be page 2 -- Background.

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2007-11-05 17:04|| 2007-11-05 17:04|| Front Page Top

#2 As much as I like the WATIMES, they and the rest of the media have had this immunity thing WRONG from day one. No Special Agent can grant immunity from prosecution. The DSS agents issued what is termed as a Garrity Warning to the BW guys. The Garrity Warning compels an individual to answer questions during an administrative (NOT CRIMINAL) investigation. The individual cannot refuse under penalty of dismissal for insubordination. The trade off is the agents cannot use anything the individual says against them in a crimianl case UNLESS the individual provides false statements. The wise agent stops the questioning if things look like the individual starts to incriminate himself. I have both read this warning to others and the warning has been read to me. Regardless of what the individual says, they can still be charged criminally. The investigators just have to go about things in a different way. No criminal immunity.

Posted by Bangkok Billy 2007-11-05 18:24|| 2007-11-05 18:24|| Front Page Top