Four Blackwater Worldwide guards have been sentenced to jail for their roles in the murder of 14 Iraqi civilians in 2007.
A life sentence was handed down to one of the men, whilst the other three were imprisoned for 30 years for their part in the massacre, which also injured 17 Iraqis.
“What happened on September 16, 2007, was nothing short of an atrocity,” said T Patrick Martin, a federal prosecutor. “The United States has shown that regardless of the nationality of the victims, it values justice for all… Even when that means that the American who committed the crime must serve time.”
A US government sentencing memorandum which was filed to the court, said the defendants had “shown no remorse for their actions” adding,
“The crimes here were so horrendous – the massacre and maiming of innocents so heinous – that they outweigh any factors that the defendants may argue form a basis for leniency.”
One of the defendants Dustin Heard told the court that he was “very sorry for the loss of life… But I cannot say in all honesty to the court that I believe I did anything wrong.”
All the other defendants also maintained their innocence, as almost 100 supporters gathered outside of the courtroom. The sentencing Judge Royce Lamberth, a former captain in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, was also choked up as he sentenced the four men, reports the New York Times. He acknowledged the defendants were “good young men who’ve never been in trouble, who served their country, ” but said the unprovoked shooting “,just cannot ever be condoned by a court.”
Judge Lamberth also paid tribute to the Justice Department and the FBI for revealing “the truth about what happened at Nisour Square,” where the killings took place.
Mohammed Hafedh Abdulrazzaq Kinani, whose 9 year old son, Ali, was killed in the massacre said “Blackwater had power like Saddam Hussein.” “Today we see who will win,” he added. “The law? Or Blackwater?”
See our earlier post: Blackwater guards found guilty of Iraqi murders (23 Oct 2014)