Ex-Blackwater president charged in firearms case

Five former employees of the U.S. defense contractor Blackwater Worldwide were indicted on Friday, including its former president Gary Jackson, on several weapons charges and making false statements. They were accused of skirting federal firearms laws and misrepresenting the weapons they were buying and the identities of the purchasers. This included a case in which weapons were given to Jordanian officials in hopes of winning their business, while it was stated they were bought by employees. Also charged in the 15-count indictment were the company's former general counsel Andrew Howell, former executive vice president William Mathews, former vice president of logistics and procurement Ana Bundy, and former armorer Ronald Slezak. Blackwater, which has changed its name to Xe Services, has faced intense scrutiny for its security work in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of its guards were accused of wrongly killing Iraqi civilians in 2007 while protecting U.S. diplomats there.