'Immunity' for Blackwater guards
The Blackwater incident has shocked many in Iraq and around the world
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Tuesday, 30, Oct 2007 10:41
The Blackwater guards who allegedly shot dead 17 civilians in Baghdad last month have been given immunity from prosecution, media reports claim.
The private security firm's employees currently face an investigation by the US state department's bureau of diplomatic security over the September 16th incident.
According to reports by the New York Times newspaper and the Associated Press news agency, the guards were granted "limited-use immunity" from prosecution on the condition that they spoke truthfully.
This may have complicated their legal situation as state department officials are not permitted to offer such immunity, the reports add.
They say only the US justice department is authorised to grant such status, complicating the situation in a way observers say is likely to heighten tensions between the US and Iraqi governments.
A report by the Iraqi government published on October 8th found that the guards had not been shot at before they opened fire in Nisoor Square in west Baghdad.
Nouri al-Maliki's administration has already expressed its frustration with coalition forces over the issue, insisting that it wishes to launch criminal proceedings of its own.
The case has highlighted the role of private security firms in Iraq and, commentators say, continues to advance the possibility of a standoff over sovereignty in the unstable Middle Eastern country.