The shootings of 14 of
the 17 Iraqi civilians killed by Blackwater security personnel in a
September confrontation were unjustified and violated rules on the use
of deadly force, according to a newspaper report.

Citing
civilian and military officials briefed on the case, the New York Times
reported on its website last night that the US justice department was
reviewing the findings of the FBI, which was continuing to investigate
the incident in Baghdad on September 16.

No evidence supported assertions by Blackwater employees that they were fired upon by Iraqi civilians, the Times reported.

The shootings of 14 of
the 17 Iraqi civilians killed by Blackwater security personnel in a
September confrontation were unjustified and violated rules on the use
of deadly force, according to a newspaper report.

Citing
civilian and military officials briefed on the case, the New York Times
reported on its website last night that the US justice department was
reviewing the findings of the FBI, which was continuing to investigate
the incident in Baghdad on September 16.

No evidence supported assertions by Blackwater employees that they were fired upon by Iraqi civilians, the Times reported.

It
said the FBI had concluded that three of the deaths may have been
justified under rules that allow lethal force in response to an
imminent threat.

Investigators concluded that as many as five of Blackwater guards opened fire during the shootings, the newspaper said.

One guard has become the focus of the investigation, the Times reported, because that guard was responsible for several deaths.

A
government official familiar with the investigation told the Associated
Press that no conclusions had been reached about any of the fatalities.
A US state department official said he was not aware that the
department had been informed of any findings. Both requested anonymity
because the investigation was continuing.

A Blackwater spokeswoman, Anne Tyrrell, said the company “supports the stringent accountability of the industry”.

She
said: “If it is determined that one person was complicit in the
wrongdoing, we would support accountability in that. The key people in
this have not spoken with investigators.”

Blackwater
has said its convoy was attacked before its personnel opened fire, but
an Iraqi government investigation concluded that the shootings were
unprovoked.

State
department officials have said it has offered limited immunity to
private security contractors involved in shootings in Iraq. They
disagreed with law enforcement officials that such actions could
jeopardise prosecutions in the September 16 incident.