5 Americans may stand trial in Iraq in fellow American's slaying

[Octafish]

Source: Los Angeles Times

Iraqi security has arrested five U.S. contractors in the death of Jim Kitterman, a Texan who owned a construction company. Kitterman was found stabbed to death in Baghdad's Green Zone in May.

By Ned Parker
11:44 AM PDT, June 7, 2009

Reporting from Baghdad -- Iraqi security forces arrested five U.S. contractors on suspicion they played a role in last month's slaying of an American in Baghdad's Green Zone, Iraqi security officials said today.

The suspects could face charges in an Iraqi court, which would make them the first Americans to stand trial before the Iraqi judiciary since the U.S. and Iraqi governments signed a bilateral security agreement late last year that in part allowed for such cases.


Maj. Gen. Hussein Ali Kamal, the head of the Interior Ministry's intelligence service, said the men had been taken into custody and were being held for questioning in connection with the death of colleague Jim Kitterman inside the sealed-off enclave, home to the Iraqi government and embassies.

"An investigation unit at the Interior Ministry investigated the murder and reached the conclusion that the Americans who worked with him at the same company are suspected of killing him," Kamal said. "These people are under arrest and will be interrogated according to a judicial order."


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq-arrests8-2009jun08,0,2008857.story

---

Remember the Army's highest ranking ethicist, a professor at West Point who volunteered for duty in Iraq? Col. Ted Westhusing brought up corrupt contractors.

[Blue_Tires]

1. let me guess: Blackwater again?

or another one of the overpaid, pentagon-sponsored designer merc firms?

[Octafish]

3. Corporate Training Unlimited

Looks like the North Carolina company was started in '86, but jumped the Iraq bandwagon PDQ.

5 N.C. contractor workers detained in Iraq

By News 14 Carolina Staff


FAYETTEVILLE – Five American security contractors from Fayetteville-based Corporate Training Unlimited have been detained in Iraq in connection with the death of another contractor.

Donald Feeney, his son Donald Feeney III, Micah Milligan, Mark Bridges and Jason Jones are being held as part of the investigation into the killing of a Texas man in Iraq's Green Zone.

The investigation that led to the arrests began in May. That's when authorities discovered the body of 60-year-old James Kitterman, who owned a construction company that operated in Iraq. His body was found tied up in his vehicle. He had been stabbed to death.

The Green Zone, formerly known as the international zone, is nearly 4 square miles and is the center of international presence in the city.

Detainee Donald Feeney founded the company in 1986 and it's been operating in Iraq since 2003.

CONTINUED...

http://www.news14.com/content/local_news/sandhills/610334/5-n-c--contractor-workers-detained-in-iraq/Default.aspx

Sharp businessmen can make a killin in war.

[Snazzy]

2. the dead guy is formerly KBR

then he started his own firm called Janus Construction which dealt exclusively with US embassy as a gatekeeper on contracts. If you wanted an embassy construction job, you talked to him.

(my impressions from a little googling yesterday)

[Octafish]

4. She feels cheated by a mercenary who employed her son when killed in Iraq.

One of the accused has a history of misunderstandings in Iraq:

Murray mother's longing for justice may be satisfied

Iraq death » She feels cheated by a mercenary who employed her son when killed in Iraq. The mercenary is now in Iraqi custody.

By Matthew D. LaPlante
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 06/07/2009 12:49:40 PM MDT

Four years had passed since her son had died in an explosion in Baghdad and Carol Thomas Young was getting no closer to knowing why.

Her lawsuit against the famed special forces operative who had employed her son -- and refused to pay an insurance settlement when he was killed -- had stalled. The Murray mother dropped the suit, saying she would leave Don Feeney's fate in the hands of a "higher court."

SNIP...

When that day came, CTU officials claimed that $20,000 in cash payments made to Thomas for work in Iraq had all "burned up in the explosion," Young said. "His stories about the money just grew more and more implausible."

Meanwhile, the families said, Feeney wouldn't return their phone calls as Young, along with Venette's mother, Debbie Casida, sought information about the attack.

CONTINUED...

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12541010

This story tells part of the reason I hate war.

Janus from mythology had two faces and served as deity for doorkeeping.
Thanks for the heads-up, Snazzy.
The KBR angle sounds very interesting.

[Snazzy]

5. I thought Janus was an interesting choice of name

Didn't know about the mythological doorkeeping but that's what this guy did. Two faces suggest one for the public and one for ? Spooky ain't it?!

I also saw that he was killed (stabbed) in the CTU complex. Lots to investigate here. Especially in light of recent revelations that there over 200K contractors in both theaters. That's 40k more than soldiers, yet we only hear about it when someone gets killed. Another contractor apparently got mortared to death in same complex (sorry no links atm, was a contractor newsletter). I'll do some more googling in the next few, but gotta hit some spaghetti and meatballs and a movie that doesn't feature torture.

I know John Feeney has come up before. North Carolina-based Corporate Training Unlimited--wonder what relation to KBR there.

[Wednesdays]

6. K&R

:kick: