Blackwater Guards Tied To C.i.a. Covert Raids, CIA's Dirty games Options

[PakiWorrior]

WASHINGTON - Private security guards from Blackwater Worldwide participated in some of the C.I.A.’s most sensitive activities — clandestine raids with agency officers against people suspected of being insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan and the transporting of detainees, according to former company employees and intelligence officials.

The raids against suspects occurred on an almost nightly basis during the height of the Iraqi insurgency between 2004 and 2006, with Blackwater personnel playing central roles in what company insiders called “snatch and grab” operations, the former employees and current and former intelligence officers said.

Several former Blackwater guards said that their involvement in the operations became so routine that the lines supposedly dividing the Central Intelligence Agency, the military and Blackwater became blurred. Instead of simply providing security for C.I.A. officers, they say, Blackwater personnel at times became partners in missions to capture or kill militants in Iraq and Afghanistan, a practice that raises questions about the use of guns for hire on the battlefield.

Helped provide security
Separately, former Blackwater employees said they helped provide security on some C.I.A. flights transporting detainees in the years after the 2001 terror attacks in the United States.

The secret missions illuminate a far deeper relationship between the spy agency and the private security company than government officials have previously acknowledged. Blackwater’s partnership with the C.I.A. has been enormously profitable for the North Carolina-based company, and became even closer after several top agency officials joined Blackwater. “It became a very brotherly relationship,” said one former top C.I.A. officer. “There was a feeling that Blackwater eventually became an extension of the agency.”

George Little, a C.I.A. spokesman, would not comment on Blackwater’s ties to the agency. But he said the C.I.A. employs contractors to “enhance the skills of our own work force, just as American law permits.”

“Contractors give you flexibility in shaping and managing your talent mix — especially in the short term — but the accountability’s still yours,” he said.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Blackwater, said Thursday that the firm was never under contract to participate in clandestine raids with the C.I.A. or with Special Operations personnel in Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere else.

Blackwater’s role in the secret operations raises concerns about the extent to which private security firms, hired for defensive guard duty, have joined in offensive military and intelligence operations.

Representative Rush D. Holt, a New Jersey Democrat who is chairman of the House Select Intelligence Oversight Panel, said in an interview that “the use of contractors in intelligence and paramilitary operations is a scandal waiting to be examined.” While he declined to comment on specific operations, Mr. Holt said that the use of contractors in such operations “got way out of hand. It’s been very troubling to a lot of people.”

Under intense criticism
Blackwater, now known as Xe Services, has come under intense criticism for what Iraqis have described as reckless conduct by its security guards, and the company lost its lucrative State Department contract to provide diplomatic security for the United States Embassy in Baghdad earlier this year after a 2007 shooting that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead.

FULL ARTICLE

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34372364/ns/us..._new_york_times

GUESS WHAT THEY ARE REVEALING ABOUT THEMSELVES

[Tamerlane]

Blackwater behind Pakistan bombings: Ex-intel chief
Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:09:05 GMT

The former head of Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI, Asad Durrani said in an interview with Press TV that Blackwater, a notorious US security firm, is carrying out operations in the country.

His comments came after the US Central intelligence Agency (CIA) revealed that Blackwater, which currently works under the name Xe Services, has been involved in drone attacks in Pakistan.

The CIA said the private security company has been loading bombs on US drones that target suspected militants in Pakistan. The attacks, according to Pakistani media, kill civilians as well.

General Durrani, however, said the group may be involved in actions that destabilize the country.

"My assessment is that they [Blackwater agents] — either themselves or most probably through others, through the locals — do carry out some of the explosions," he said.

"The idea is to carry out such actions, like carrying attacks in the civilian areas to make the others look bad in the eyes of the public."

Pakistan, suffering from a wave of violence, has witnessed the loss of lives of more than two thousands civilians in the past two years because of bomb attacks across the country.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=11354...ionid=351020401

[Sardar]

It is becoming increasingly evident to the Pakistani public that Blackwater is behind the savage attacks in our cities.

The Government is in bed with blackwater and trying to play down the accusations, but we all saw what they did in Iraq they are now trying to duplicate the strategy in Pakistan and the troop-surge in Afghanistan is a classic re-run of their plan in Iraq.

[rungroot]

Blackwater behind Pakistan bombings: Ex-intel chief
Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:09:05 GMT

The former head of Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI, Asad Durrani said in an interview with Press TV that Blackwater, a notorious US security firm, is carrying out operations in the country.

His comments came after the US Central intelligence Agency (CIA) revealed that Blackwater, which currently works under the name Xe Services, has been involved in drone attacks in Pakistan.

The CIA said the private security company has been loading bombs on US drones that target suspected militants in Pakistan. The attacks, according to Pakistani media, kill civilians as well.

General Durrani, however, said the group may be involved in actions that destabilize the country.

"My assessment is that they [Blackwater agents] — either themselves or most probably through others, through the locals — do carry out some of the explosions," he said.

"The idea is to carry out such actions, like carrying attacks in the civilian areas to make the others look bad in the eyes of the public."

Pakistan, suffering from a wave of violence, has witnessed the loss of lives of more than two thousands civilians in the past two years because of bomb attacks across the country.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=11354...ionid=351020401

General (Ret'd) Asad Durrani is the 2nd former ISI chief to accuse the americans of terrorism, the first one being General (Ret'd) Hamid Gul.

[Tamerlane]

A couple of days ago on Ahmed Qureshi's program General Hamid Gul was saying that Musharraf gave full diplomatic immunity to American mercenaries like Blackwater. That's why they can roam around with illegal guns and are always released when they get caught.

Thori Si Siyasat (12-12-09) 01

Since Zardari grabbed power he's obviously extended Blackwater's diplomatic immunity.

The following news is interesting because the Americans are complaining about hundreds of "diplomats" waiting for visas. Who the hell are these hundreds of diplomats? I can bet you they're armed mercenaries of Blackwater and other terrorists.

US diplomats denied Pakistan visas
Updated at: 0330 PST, Thursday, December 17, 2009

ISLAMABAD: A US diplomat has claimed Pakistan government has denies a number of US diplomats, army officials and many other US citizens Pakistan visas owing to rising US strikes on Pakistan land, Geo news reported on Wednesday.

Many US diplomats, on condition of anonymity, told Geo news that US diplomats’ vehicles are being monitored strictly, stopped on checkpoints and searched out.

He said US men allowed law enforcement agencies to check out the trunks of their vehicles but denied to let them search the sitting areas of passengers in their vehicles.

“It seems as if all this is happening to calm down people’s anti-US sentiments in Pakistan”, he hoped adding, “These might be temporary actions from Pakistan government.”

“US government will do nothing more than politely pressurizing Pakistan officials over the aforementioned issue”, he said adding, “Many US diplomats have returned to US for celebrations of Charismas eve but they might miss chance to get back due to lack of extension in their visas dates from Pakistan.”

“Almost the extensions of 135 visas of US citizens, diplomats working in US embassy have been suspended while several visa applications have been turned down”, he added.

He accused Pakistan officials of not responding properly over US complaints regarding visa issue of Pakistan.

http://thenews.jang.com.pk/updates.asp?id=93736

[Tamerlane]

If the courts are so independent nowadays then someone should file a case to cancel diplomatic immunity for Blackwater terrorists. This is another karistani of Musharraf's that needs to be reversed.