Iraqi Cops Told To Be Tough On Security Contractors
Baghdad, Nov 20, (VOI) – Baghdad security plan spokesman warned foreign security firms operating in Iraq of violating the state’s laws and highlighted instructions for Iraqi security forces to take a tough stance on violations.
“We had given them instructions to deal quickly with all violations committed by foreign security contractors,” Brigadier Qassim Atta said during a press conference on Tuesday morning, in reference to a Monday shooting by Italian security contractors in Baghdad’s al-Kahramana square.
“Unfortunately, some foreign security firms show no respect for the Iraqi law or Iraqis’ blood. We demand these companies to adhere to the law,” Atta indicated.
Yesterday, Iraqi security forces detained a group of Italian private security guards after they opened random fire in central Baghdad’s Karada neighbourhood, wounding a woman.
The Italian guards were in a convoy of four vehicles as they passed through the neighbourhood. While trying to disperse the cars and make their way through, some guards opened fire and wounded a woman.
On September 16, personnel from the private U.S. security company Blackwater allegedly opened random fire after two mortar shells fell near a U.S. embassy motorcade that was passing in Sahat al-Nosur area, western Baghdad, killing and injuring scores of civilians.
A recent New York Times report said that U.S. Federal agents investigating the incident in which Blackwater security personnel shot down 17 Iraqi civilians have found that at least 14 of the shootings were unjustified and violated deadly-force rules in effect for security contractors in Iraq.
The incident drew extreme indignation on the Iraqi streets as the Iraqi parliament called for restricting the work of private security companies in Iraq and amending a decision by the former U.S. civil administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, which grants these firms legal immunity.
On October 24, 2007, the Iraqi government decided to remove private security firms’ immunity from prosecution in the country.
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