Mercenary regulation necessary to protect human rights: UN report
The United Nations Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries released a report on Tuesday claiming that the increase in the use of private military and security companies raises human rights challenges and should be...
US top military official says troops need immunity for continued presence in Iraq
Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff , Admiral Mike Mullen , said Tuesday that US troops must be granted immunity in order to remain in Iraq beyond the end-of-the-year deadline. It is up to the...
UN calls for international regulations on independent security contractors
The UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries on Friday proposed international legislation to create mechanisms for prosecuting contractors and mercenaries when they violate the law. The Chairman of the UN Working...
Convicted ex-Blackwater contractor sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for manslaughter
A former contractor for Blackwater , now known as Xe Services , was sentenced Monday to two-and-a-half years in prison for the 2009 shooting of an unarmed Afghan civilian in Kabul. Justin Cannon was...
Blackwater guards challenge reinstatement of manslaughter case
Four former security guards for Blackwater , now known as Xe Services , on Monday filed a petition challenging an appeals court ruling that reinstated a manslaughter case against them. The suit revolves around...
Federal judge rules Blackwater shooting suit can proceed in state court
A judge for the US District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina ruled Wednesday that a lawsuit against Blackwater , now known as Xe Services , can proceed in state court. The...
Afghanistan government confiscating weapons of private security firms under Karzai decree
The Afghan government on Sunday began the process of assuming responsibility for the country's security by disbanding eight Afghan and foreign private security firms and confiscating their weapons and ammunition. The banning of the firms is being...
Federal judge declares mistrial in murder case against Blackwater contractors
A judge for the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia declared a mistrial Monday in a murder case against two Blackwater defense contractors after the jury failed to reach a verdict....
UN report urges heightened regulation of US military contractors
A report presented Tuesday by the UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries urges the US to increase regulation of military contractors employed worldwide, citing alleged human rights abuses and the contractors' lack of...
Blackwater contractors will not face death penalty for 2009 killings: prosecutors
Two Blackwater contractors working for the US Department of Defense will not face the death penalty for the alleged May 2009 shooting of two Afghans at an intersection in Kabul. Justin Cannon of Corpus...
