Trump pardons Blackwater contractors convicted of Iraq massacre
The incident in Baghdad's Nisoor Square deeply strained US-Iraqi ties and marred the reputation of the paramilitary company.
As one of his final acts in office, US President Donald Trump granted full pardons to four former Blackwater paramilitary contractors convicted of killing 14 Iraqi civilians in a 2007 massacre in Iraq's capital.
Nicholas Slatten, who is believed to have fired the first shots, was sentenced to life in prison in 2014 for his role in the contractors' indiscriminate shooting in Baghdad's Nisoor Square. Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard were found guilty of manslaughter and weapons charges for their roles in the incident.
Their convictions were the result of a lengthy effort by the US Justice Department and were bolstered by testimonies by more than 20 Iraqi witnesses as well as by other members of the American convoy present in the square on that September day.
The incident, which occurred at the height of Iraq’s sectarian war, deeply strained Baghdad’s relations with Washington. Iraq’s government has not yet released a statement on the pardons.
