October 7, 2007 (LPAC)--Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh charged today that Blackwater USA employees "deliberately" killed 17 citizens in a Sept. 16 incident in Baghdad.

The spokesman reported that the special investigative committee set up by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki had found no evidence whatsoever that Blackwater's guards had come under "any direct or indirect fire, or that it was even hit by stones." On the contrary, he said, Blackwater "violated rules governing the use of force and should be held legally responsible for the incident."

Blackwater claims that its employees had come under fire from "threatening targets." The death toll of 17 is up from the original figure of 11 dead.