Private security guards shoot three Iraqi civilians

[Barrett808]

Source: AFP

KIRKUK, Iraq (AFP) - Guards from a private security company opened fire Thursday on a taxi that approached their convoy near the Iraqi city of Kirkuk wounding three civilians, including a woman journalist, police said.

"We didn't identify the name of the company that carried out the shooting but there is a joint (US-Iraqi) investigation," Torhan Yusuf, the acting police chief of Kirkuk, told AFP.

It was the third such incident in little over a month after guards from US firm Blackwater killed as many as 17 civilians in a shooting on September 16 and employees of an Australian-run company shot dead two women on October 9.

"I saw a convoy of three cars pass a taxi and one of the guards took his weapon and opened fire on the taxi," said police officer Hussain Rashid.

"I tried myself to stop the convoy but they didn't pay attention to me. They stopped about 300 metres from the scene, then they moved," he added.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071018/wl_afp/iraqunrestguards

[Robbien]

1. With the spotlight on mercs, one would think these guys would stop this shit

Scary to think that they are not able to stop this shit. It is as if it is hard wired into their brains.

[Ian_rd]

2. They have no incentive to stop.

Our government has decided they are above the law, and the mercs themselves are better armed and trained than the Iraqi police forces so they can prevent arrest. Why would they stop? Conscience?

[tuckessee]

5. It's SOP for both PMC's & the US military. n/t

[saigon68]

3. Our favorite Mercenaries

[Amonester]

4. Meet the new Mafia...

Same as the ol' Mafia.

[saigon68]

6. Thugs turned loose