Iraq Aims To End Contractor Immunity

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi government today approved draft legislation lifting immunity for foreign private security companies, sending the measure to parliament, a spokesman said.

The question of immunity has been one of the most serious dispute between the American and the Iraqi government since a September 16 shooting incident involving Blackwater USA guards that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead.

An Iraqi government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said the draft law approved today would overturn an immunity order known as Decree 17 that was issued by L. Paul Bremer, who ran the American occupation government until June 2004.

"It will be sent to the parliament within the coming days to be ratified," he said. "According to this law, all security companies will subjected to the Iraqi criminal law and must obey all the country's legal regulations such as: registration, customs, visas, etcetera."