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Xe-Blackwater, Illegally Continuing to Operate in Iraq, Sued for More Civilian Shootings, According to Burke O'Neil LLC

Posted on: Wednesday, 10 June 2009, 10:23 CDT

WASHINGTON, June 10 /PRNewswire/ -- A wrongful death and injury lawsuit filed today against Xe-Blackwater over a 2007 civilian shooting in Iraq alleges that Xe-Blackwater "shooters" operating in Hilla, Iraq unnecessarily fired shots, killing Husain Salih Rabea and traumatizing Ali Kareem Fakhri, a student at the Babylon University College of Biology.

According to the lawsuit, the men were shot at as they drove in separate vehicles on a public roadway on August 13, 2007. Mr. Rabea died from the gunshot wound, leaving behind five sons and three daughters.

The Rabea family and Mr. Fakhri are represented by attorneys Susan L. Burke, William F. Gould, and Rosemary B. Healy of Burke O'Neil LLC, of Washington, D.C.

The complaint filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia also alleges that Xe-Blackwater:

• continues to flout Iraqi law and operate without a license by continuing to provide armed men under contract to protect employees of the International Republican Institute, an American government-funded organization,
• tries to hide its continued illegal operations in Iraq by using the Greystone name rather than the Blackwater or Xe name,
• captured illegal conduct of personnel on videotape and audiotape, but did not report or punish the illegal conduct of "shooters" and instead intentionally destroyed the evidence of illegal conduct, and encouraged the "shooters" to do the same.

Susan L. Burke, of Burke O'Neil LLC, stated, "Erik Prince, a modern-day merchant of death, acts as if he is above the rule of law. The Iraqi government has barred Xe-Blackwater from operating in Iraq, and has refused to grant the licenses needed to carry weapons in Iraq, yet Prince continues to provide armed personnel to the International Republican Institute. Such repeated illegal conduct by Prince must be stopped."

Rosemary B. Healy, of Burke O'Neil LLC, stated, "Xe-Blackwater's repeated illegal conduct has caused hundreds of unnecessary deaths and thousands of unnecessary injuries. This shooting of Mr. Rabea was not an isolated event. Xe-Blackwater personnel repeatedly and routinely shot for no reason as they prowled the streets of Iraq."

The lawsuit names as defendants 12 Prince-controlled entities, and alleges war crimes, assault and battery, wrongful death, intentional infliction of emotion distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, negligent hiring, training and supervision, and tortious spoliation of evidence.

The case is "Estate of Husain Salih Rabea and Ali Kareem Fakhri v. Erik Prince, et al.," in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (Civil Action No. 1:09 cv 645).

Attorney Contact: Susan L. Burke, of Burke O'Neil LLC, Washington, D.C., 202.445.1409.

SOURCE Burke O'Neil LLC

Source: PR Newswire

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