The Iraqi government wants security firm Blackwater to pay $8 million in compensation to each of the families of 17 people killed in a shooting, a senior government source said on Tuesday. Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Sunday an investigation set up by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki had found Blackwater "deliberately killed" the 17 people and injuring more than 20 in the September 16 shooting in western Baghdad. The new details of Iraq's demands were outlined in an official report issued on Monday in Arabic and subsequently translated by international news agencies. The report says in the time since Blackwater took over security for US diplomats in 2003, its guards have killed 38 Iraqi civilians and wounded about 50 in shootings.
It also says Blackwater's license to operate in occupation Iraq expired in 2006, meaning it had no immunity from prosecution under the laws introduced by the US authorities in Iraq after the 2003 US-led invasion. The Iraqi panel led by the defense minister calls for the US to hand over Blackwater guards to face possible trial in Iraqi courts. The report says that on 16 September four Blackwater vehicles and two helicopters opened fire without provocation in two locations after a car bombing near a meeting involving a USAID official under Blackwater protection. The compensation requested is higher than usual "because Blackwater uses employees who disrespect the rights of Iraqi citizens even though they are guests in this country", the report said, as quoted by Associated Press. Blackwater has not responded to the Iraqi government investigation but insists its employees came under fire first.