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November 20, 2007
Reconstruction Company Convoy Arrested
ALMCO, a Dubai-based, Iraqi-run company with lucrative US contracts in Iraq has found itself in a bad situation.
One of its convoys transporting low-wage migrant Asian workers to the airport in a dump truck apparently began shooting at civilians, according to The Washington Post:
In total, U.S. military and Iraqi officials said, 43 people were arrested: 21 Sri Lankans, 1 Indian and 9 Nepalese contractors, 10 Iraqi security guards and 2 Fijian guards. The two Fijian guards had U.S. Defense Department identity cards, according to Maj. Brad Leighton.
Soon after the shooting from the security accompanying the convoy, a street crowd surrounded the truck as Iraqi soldiers and police arrived. Then some of the soldiers got on the truck and started beating the workers. It seems the workers in the open truck were mistaken for Afghan fighters, although they were unarmed.
A policeman at the scene told AFP that the incident occurred around noon on Monday and was unprovoked.
"A truck was transporting Asian workers through Karrada, escorted by three vehicles. They were driving on the wrong side of the road and guards in the vehicle opened fire to disperse people," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to talk to the media."Because of the shooting, a 20-year-old woman was wounded in the leg," he added.
ALMCO is a US military logistics contractor for food supply, construction and training, not a security firm, Reuters reports. It also holds a contract to build a courthouse as part of US reconstruction efforts.
Statements from the firm's employees, taken in front of a civil judge, "revealed attempted murder of Iraqi civilians and other violations."
It's a sad event, given the heartfelt interview that the Iraqi head of the company, ALMCO, once gave to CNN's Jane Arraf. He says that rebuilding Iraq is his definition of jihad despite resistance from the insurgents. See Almco's Website and look under "news & events."
Obviously, Almco has also made a bundle of money. The company began in 2003 with a $500 contract to transport fuel and now holds US-funded contracts worth hundreds of millions.
Posted by davidphinney at November 20, 2007 03:18 PM
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