[On Wednesday, the U.S. military announced the killing of an Al Qaida
leader who directed a massive bombing in Baghdad, Middle East Newsline reported. The Al Qaida leader, an
Egyptian national, was identified as Abu Yaakoub Al Masri, commander of
Taji, north of the Iraqi capital.]
Officials said Blackwater has reduced its profile since the attack in
which security guards fired for 20 minutes in downtown Baghdad after the
diplomatic convoy was thought to have come under attack. An Iraqi government
investigation determined that Blackwater guards killed 20 people in an
incident that began when an Iraqi vehicle did not move out of the convoy's
way. The probe asserted that Iraqi soldiers and police joined in the
shootout.
"There was no shooting against the convoy," Iraqi government spokesman
Ali Al Dabbagh said. "There was no fire from anyone in the square."
Officials said the ban on U.S. ground travel would affect staffers who
oversee construction projects around the Iraqi capital. They said diplomats
and others would continue to leave and enter the Green Zone via helicopter.
"This suspension is in effect in order to assess mission security and
procedures, as well as a possible increased threat to personnel travelling
with security details outside the International Zone," the embassy said.
Blackwater, based in Moyock, N.C., has been one of three private
military contractors employed by the State Department. The others were
identified as Dyncorp, based in Falls Church, Va., and Triple Canopy, based
in Herndon, Va. The Defense Department has reported the employment of 7,300
private security personnel in Iraq.
"Blackwater's independent contractors acted lawfully and appropriately
in response to a hostile attack in Baghdad on Sunday," the company said in a
statement.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee plans to investigate
Blackwater. Officials said the committee would hold hearings on allegations
that the U.S. security contractor was smuggling weapons into Iraq.
"I think we have to have some uniform rules, particularly when these
security guys are walking around fully armed," Rep. Jan Schakowsky, an
Illinois Democrat, said. "Who are they accountable to?"
