National

Iraqis Say U.S. Guards Used Drugs, Defied Orders

By Dina Temple-Raston, Melissa Block

Published November 28, 2007 at 1:00 PM PST

This story was published more than 17 years ago.

Some Iraqi civilians have filed a civil lawsuit against the Blackwater guards involved in a September shooting incident in a Baghdad traffic circle.

The suit claims that the Blackwater personnel were in the traffic circle against the instructions of their dispatcher. The suit also alleges that they had improperly taken steroids.

The Justice Department is investigating the incident and does not expect to have a decision on whether or how to prosecute the guards for some months.

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Dina Temple-Raston

Dina Temple-Raston is a correspondent on NPR's Investigations team focusing on breaking news stories and national security, technology and social justice.

Melissa Block

As special correspondent and guest host of NPR's news programs, Melissa Block brings her signature combination of warmth and incisive reporting. Her work over the decades has earned her journalism's highest honors, and has made her one of NPR's most familiar and beloved voices.

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