Blackwater to be investigated by US Defence Secretary

Kazakhstan News.Net
Saturday 6th March, 2010

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said he will check into the allegations of serious misconduct in Afghanistan by the private security firm formerly known as Blackwater.

It has been alleged that Blackwater, now known as Xe, could have been involved in misconduct surrounding a contract, awarded to a Blackwater affiliate, over weapons training for the Afghan National Army.

The contract is worth a potential $1 billion for training Afghan police.

There have been complaints in the past about Blackwater, over the conduct of company employees in civilian killings in Iraq and the alleged murder by two staff members of Afghans in Kabul.

While a court in December exonerated Blackwater employees in the Iraq incident, Secretary Gates has been made aware of the evidence of misconduct, in which the head of the Senate's Armed Services Committee, Carl Levin, said there was a possibility that the newly named company had been involved in the alteration of official statements, misappropriation of government weapons, and hiring staff with criminal backgrounds that include assault, battery, and substance abuse.

The Pentagon has however said the firm should not be completely barred from contracts as it has rare technical expertise and a willingness to work in places that very few companies are willing to go to.

Xe, has said it welcomes the review.

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