Four Blackwater ex-guards given lengthy terms over Baghdad massacre
A court in the United States has sentenced 4 former guards with private security firm Blackwater to lengthy prison terms over their roles in the 2007 killing of 17 unarmed Iraqi civilians.
One of the four, Nicholas A. Slatten, who fired the first shots, was sentenced to life in prison while the others -- Dustin L. Heard, Evan S. Liberty, and Paul A. Slough -- got 30-year jail terms at the Monday court session in Washington.
Last October, they were convicted of a series of charges ranging from first degree murder to voluntary manslaughter during the fatal incident, which took place while they were escorting a diplomatic convoy in Nisour Square of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
"The wild thing that happened here can never be condoned by the court," US federal judge Royce Lamberth told the court but added that "It's clear these fine young men just panicked."
In September 2007, the Blackwater guards used sniper rifles, machine guns, and grenade launchers on unarmed Iraqis in the bustling square, killing 17, including children.
"I just want to know why they killed my son? Why did you guys kill my son?" said Fatimah al-Fadwi Kinani who lost her nine-year-old at the incident.
The lawyers asked the judge to show leniency, arguing that the perpetrators had put their lives in danger and had to make "split second decisions in the most dangerous city on earth," as put by David Schertler, Slough's lawyer.
Lamberth rejected that argument but agreed to limit prison time to the 30-year minimum in all cases but Slatten’s.
In 2003, the US and Britain invaded Iraq in blatant violation of international law and under the false pretext of finding weapons of mass destruction stockpiled by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
NT/NT
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