UN Accuses US Contractors of War Crimes

October 13, 2007
UN Accuses US Contractors of War Crimes

BAGHDAD (AP) — U.N. officials in Iraq stepped up pressure on the United States on
Thursday to prosecute any unjustified killings of Iraqi civilians by private security contractors,
saying such killings could amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity if "done in cold
blood."

While Americans are unlikely to face such charges, the words served as a harsh rebuke as
outrage spreads over what many Iraqis perceive as overly aggressive behavior of the heavily armed
foreigners protecting U.S. government-funded work.

"For us, it's a human rights issue," said Ivana Vuco, a human rights officer with the U.N.
Assistance Mission to Iraq, or UNAMI. "We will monitor the allegations of killings by security
contractors and look into whether or not crimes against humanity and war crimes have been
committed."