Blackwater unlikely to face charges in Iraq shooting
May 09, 2008 16:21 EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Blackwater Worldwide is not expected to face criminal charges in the shooting deaths of of 17 Iraqi civilians, meaning it will keep multimillion-dollar contract with the U.S. government.

Interviews with people close to the investigation indicate the seven-month-old Justice Department probe is focused on as few as three or four Blackwater guards who could be indicted in the Sept. 16 shootings.

A law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity says the final decision on any charges will not be made until late summer at the earliest.

The shootings began when a Blackwater convoy responding to a Baghdad car bombing, entered a traffic circle. Blackwater says the convoy was ambushed by insurgents, touching off a firefight. Iraqi witnesses say it was an unprovoked attack in which security guards fired indiscriminately, killing motorists, bystanders and children.

Blackwater is based in eastern North Carolina.