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November 12, 2009

Iraq Probes Blackwater Bribery Allegations
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In Iraq, the Iraqi Interior Ministry says it’s probing allegations the
private military firm Blackwater authorized around $1 million to bribe
Iraqi officials following the September 2007 killings of seventeen Iraqi
civilians in Baghdad. The New York Times revealed this week the payments
were approved after the Iraqi government called for Blackwater’s
expulsion from Iraq, threatening the company’s lucrative annual
contract. It’s unknown if any Iraqi officials ultimately accepted the
payments. Meanwhile, former Blackwater vice president Cofer Black has
denied an account from other former company executives that he
confronted Blackwater founder Erik Prince about the bribes. In a
statement, Black said he was “unaware of any plot or guidance for
Blackwater to bribe Iraqi officials.”



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