Blackwater Security Men Enter Not Guilty Plea In Iraq Shootings

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Five security guards from the controversial American security firm Blackwater Worldwide entered a not guilty plea on charges of manslaughter and other crimes for the deaths of 17 Iraqis in 2007.

The five, Donald Ball, Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty, Nick Slatten and Paul Slough - all of whom are decorated military veterans - were facing charges of 14 counts of voluntary manslaughter, 20 counts of attempted manslaughter and one count of using a firearm in the commission of a violent crime.

Jeremy Ridgeway, who was co-accused in the incident, entered a plea deal in return for testifying against the Blackwater security men.

The defendants lawyer, David Schertler, insisted that his clients were innocent and were acting in self defense when the shooting occurred.

The five Blackwater security guards were contracted by the U.S. government to provide security to American diplomatic personnel in Iraq. They were charged for the shooting in Nisoor Square, Baghdad on Sept. 16, 2007 that killed 17 Iraqis and injured others.

Relatives of those killed insist the shooting was unprovoked and that the Blackwater security guards used excessive force.

The shooting has strained relations between the U.S. and Iraq and increased pressure on oversight of U.S. contractors operating in war zones.

Judge Ricardo Urbina set a trial date for Feb. 1, 2010 after lawyers for the defense argued the complexity of the case needs at least a year to prepare, including gathering information from Baghdad.