Blackwater "Blood Money" Angers Iraqis
By Aadel Faiq
ABC News

Thursday 20 March 2008

Two Iraqi families of victims killed by Blackwater guards tell ABC News they've refused compensation from the company.


The father of an Iraqi boy, Ali, 9 and pictured above, says his son was one of 17 civilians killed when Blackwater security guards, escorting a diplomatic convoy, opened fire at Baghdad's Nisour square September 16.
(Photo: ABC News)

At least two Iraqi families of victims killed by Blackwater security guards in September tell ABC News they have refused compensation offered by the company.

The father of a 9-year-old boy, who says his son was one of the 17 civilians killed when Blackwater guards, escorting a diplomatic convoy, opened fire at Baghdad's Nisour Square on Sept. 16, says he is trying to file a lawsuit against the company. He told ABCNews.com that Blackwater offered him $20,000 through an Iraqi prosecutor, but he refused the money.

Another Iraqi who lost both his wife and son in the incident says he too has refused the company's offer of compensation of $20,000 for each victim.

Adel Jabur Shamma, who was injured in the incident, says he was bed-ridden for six months after being shot in the thigh. He says he was given $10,000 by the Iraqi prosecutor who is mediating between the families and Blackwater, but that the amount isn't nearly enough to cover his surgery. He says he took the money because he had no other choice.

While a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. investigates the deaths, Blackwater has been operating behind the scenes in Iraq to settle with survivors and families of the dead.

Officials familiar with the case told ABCNews.com last month that Blackwater had resisted U.S. government demands that the company pay at least $100,000 per death, claiming the U.S. government itself hasn't paid that much in similar situations.

Requests to Blackwater for comment were not immediately returned.

As ABCNews.com has reported, the federal grand jury criminal investigation is focusing on two or three Blackwater guards who opened fire, claiming they perceived a threat. Other Blackwater guards have testified to federal agents, however, that they saw no such threat.

Several of the Iraqi families have already filed lawsuits against Blackwater in U.S. courts, alleging the security guards were guilty of "war crimes."

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I have a friend who works for blackwater! Pays great!

Is this all you do is post....this kind of stuff...boring

Nope

My friend's about to join in June. He did two tours during his stint in the Marines, and now that I've finally gotten used to him being home, he's leaving again!

Your a Patriot and a true American Dragoness You Go Girl

It's scary that someone would join Blackwater just for the money.

Maybe they haven't heard about their murders of Iraqi people.

4- real

I just wish we knew the specifics on that attack with the blackwater guards where the civilians were killed... It's just hard for me to judge without at least seeing the scenario take place.(At least in my head). Combat has a lot of iffy calls, and unfortunately even the most honest of mistakes could result in unarmed individuals' demises. Yeah, i will have to admit i was tempted by a six figure contract by them shortly after returning from a tour in Iraq. But i heard conflicting stories on how they conducted their business. Some good, some bad.