Killings bring home horror of Iraqi conflict

THE deaths of four employees of a local security company and the shocking way the bodies were treated helped bring the conflict in Iraq closer to home, residents of Moyock, North Carolina, said yesterday.

The four civilians were killed and their burned bodies dragged through the streets of an Iraqi town on Wednesday. They worked for Blackwater Security Consulting, one of five subsidiaries of Blackwater USA, based in north-eastern North Carolina.

“With what’s been going on in Iraq I’m not surprised at anything,” said 72-year-old Howard Forbes of Moyock. “But I was surprised at what they did to the bodies.” He said the deaths brought the war home to the community. Marty Huffstickler, 52, who works part-time as an electrician for Blackwater, said he didn’t know who was killed.

“I think they’re dying for no reason,” Huffstickler said.

“I don’t agree with what’s going on over there.

“ The people over there don’t want us there.”

The names of the four victims were not immediately released because family members had yet to be notified, US officials said. The company provides security training and guard services to customers around the world. Blackwater president Gary Jackson and two other company leaders are former US Navy SEAL commandos.