Blackwater Boss Grilled Over Iraq

The chairman of US private security contractor Blackwater has defended his firm and his staff during a grilling by a congressional committee. Blackwater has come under scrutiny since a shootout last month in Baghdad in which 11 Iraqis were killed. The FBI has begun investigating that incident. The firm's founder, Erik Prince, said his staff were brave and effective, and had acted appropriately.But one of the committee asked if the firm was a shadow mercenary force.