Blackwater guards jailed over Iraqi civilian deaths

A former Blackwater guard has been sentenced to life in prison and three others to 30 years over the deaths of 14 Iraqi civilians in 2007.

Nicholas Slatten was sentenced to life in prison for his murder conviction last October over the killings at Baghdad's Nisoor Square. Three of his former colleagues, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard, were convicted of manslaughter and were sentenced to 30 years each by the court in Washington DC.

The four guards opened fire with machine guns and grenade launchers on the unarmed Iraqi civilians, including women and children, at Nisur Square in September 2007. At least 17 more were injured.

A heavily armed, four-truck Blackwater Worldwide convoy had been trying to clear a path for US diplomats

In their first public statements since the shooting, the former Blackwater contractors, wearing leg shackles and prison clothes, insisted they were innocent.

"I cannot say in all honesty to the court that I did anything wrong," Heard told US District Court Judge Royce Lamberth.

The Judge announced the sentences after a day-long hearing at which defence lawyers had argued for leniency and presented character witnesses for their clients.

Prosecutors asked that the sentences - the minimums mandatory under the law - be made harsher. He rejected both requests.

"Based on the seriousness of the crimes, I find the penalty is not excessive," he said.

Prosecutors described the shooting as an unprovoked ambush of civilians and said the men have not shown remorse or taken any responsibility for their actions.

In the men's defence, lawyers claimed that they had been targeted with gunfire and shot back in self-defence.

Assistant US Attorney Patrick Martin urged the court to consider the gravity of the crime as well as the sheer number of dead and wounded and "count every victim".

He said: "These four men have refused to accept virtually any responsibility for their crimes and the blood they shed that day."

Mohammad Kinani Al-Razzaq spoke about the death of his nine-year-old son as a picture of the smiling boy, Ali Mohammed Hafedh Abdul Razzaq, was shown on courtroom monitors.

He said: "What's the difference between these criminals and terrorists?"

Lawyers for the men have confirmed they will appeal the convictions.