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Mercenary company sues family of slain employees Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/16653757.htm http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/16653757.htm Posted on Thu, Feb. 08, 2007 Mother of slain war contractor says testimony gave her peace Associated Press WILLOUGHBY, Ohio - The mother of a man killed while working in Iraq for a North Carolina military contractor says taking her story to Congress has given her some peace. Donna Zovko, whose son Jerry Zovko was killed in 2004, was among those who testified Wednesday before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in Washington. The committee was scrutinizing U.S. companies that have contracts to do work in Iraq. Jerry Zovko, 32, was among four contractors working for Moyock, N.C.-based Blackwater Security Consulting who died in March 2004. Their bodies were beaten, burned and dragged through the streets of Fallujah. "For me personally, the hearing is humongous, and I needed this for my own peace of mind," she said. The contractors' families, including Zovko's, have sued Blackwater for wrongful death. The relatives told the committee that the lawsuit is the only way to get the company to give them details about the killings. The lawsuit argues that the company broke contractual obligations and used cost-saving measures that ultimately led to the men's deaths. Blackwater says the U.S. military has prevented the company from discussing the details. The company is countersuing the families for $10 million, claiming they breached the security guards' contracts by suing the company. Zovko, of Willoughby, northeast of Cleveland, said the hearing, where a joint statement from the families was read, was a productive step toward learning exactly what happened to cause her son's death. "We're seeking the truth, and I want to see some change," she said. The families said the security guards were denied armored vehicles, heavy weapons and maps for their convoy routes, and that the rear gunners were removed from vehicles to perform other duties. "Why not prepare them? Why not give them time to prepare and get to know the route? All of these things that they were supposed to have been allowed to do prior to doing the job - so, a thousand-and-one questions and no answers," Zovko told the committee. © 2007 AP Wire and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.

afghan-contractor-jailed 10 iraqi contractors penalized for bribery corruption { April 26 2004 } Allegations security contractors brutalizing iraqi civilians Army gives interrogate contract to company in scandal { August 5 2004 } Army turns to private guards { August 12 2004 } Blackwater assasinated 3 innocent iraqis { November 8 2007 } Blackwater employees kill 8 civilians { September 17 2007 } Blackwater offers private armies for low intensity conflicts { March 29 2006 } Blackwater shoots innocent civilians says congress British private military companies boom Cia spies stampede to private sector { September 11 2001 } Contract workers are wars forgotten { July 31 2004 } Experienced skilled army employees replaced with privatization Fbi cia denies employee afghan freelancer { August 17 2004 } Iraq war company saic hides 8b shadow Line blurred between soldiers and private contractors { May 13 2004 } Mercenary company sues family of slain employees Mercenary strength reaches high in iraq New law to subject civilian contractors to military law { January 15 2007 } Over 100 thousand civilian contractors in iraq { January 7 2007 } Private army blackwater [jpg] Private guards repel attack { April 6 2004 } Private iraqi contractor abandons 7 children in nigeria Private mercenaries outnumber US troops in iraq { July 4 2007 } Private security firm say its fun to shoot some people { April 3 2005 } Secret mercenaries { October 13 2002 } Security firms form alliance { April 8 2004 } Security firms use air blimps over iraq { January 17 2006 } Us contractor uses chilean pinochet commandos for iraq { March 5 2004 } US contractors in iraq allege brutality US intelligence privatized { July 24 2007 } Files Listed: 30

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