Blackwater offered $30,000 for each person who was wounded and $100,000 to the families of people who died.

Blackwater settles lawsuits over shootings

Iraqis accused it of cultivating a culture that allowed civilians to be killed

Source: MSNBC/AP

RALEIGH, N.C. - The security firm formerly known as Blackwater has reached a settlement in a series of federal lawsuits in which dozens of Iraqis accused the company of cultivating a reckless culture that allowed innocent civilians to be killed.

Plaintiffs' attorney Susan Burke filed a motion in federal court late Wednesday requesting the cases be dismissed. The seven lawsuits cited a pattern of illegal activity, including several killings, such as the 2007 shooting in Iraq's capital that left 17 Iraqis dead and strained relationships between Washington and Baghdad.
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"This enables Xe's new management to move the company forward free of the costs and distraction of ongoing litigation, and provides some compensation to Iraqi families," the company said.

‘I achieved victory’
Hassan Jabir, a lawyer who was wounded in the 2007 shooting, said that all of the victims' families and people who were injured agreed to the settlement and met with lawyers at a Baghdad hotel about a week ago. He hailed the settlement as a win for the plaintiffs.
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Not all the plaintiffs appeared happy with the decision. Sami Hawas Hamoud Abu al-Iz also was wounded during the 2007 Nisoor Square incident along with his son. His mother was killed. He said the agreement came after the plaintiffs were told by their lawyers that there was a risk that they might not receive anything.

"All the victims' families signed the settlement papers under pressure, after we were informed that the Blackwater firm is broke and if you don't sign, you will get nothing," he said.

He said the firm offered $30,000 for each person who was wounded and $100,000 to the families of people who died. LinkHere