The US Department of Justice is investigating whether Blackwater, now known as Xe, bribed Iraqi officials to allow the company to continue operating in the country following shooting deaths in 2007, the New York Times reported Jan. 31. The Justice Department's fraud division reportedly began an inquiry into the alleged $1 million bribery in late 2009. Bribery of foreign officials is a violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Blackwater will likely claim that the $1 million was restitution to the families of the individuals killed in 2007, which would exempt the company from violation of federal law. A conviction under the FCPA may include both criminal and civil penalties. (Jurist, Feb. 1)

A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb outside of the Forsenics Lab of the Iraqi Ministry of Interior's Criminal Investigation Department on Jan. 26, killing 21 people and injuring at least 80 others. The building collapsed shortly after the attack, which comes one day after coordinated deadly attacks against several Baghdad hotels frequented by westerners left 36 dead. Some have suggested that the attacks might be in retaliation for the previous day's execution of "Chemical Ali" Hassan al-Majid. The bombing has also aroused concerns about Iraq's ability to ensure citizens' safety in the run-up to the general election scheduled for next month. Iraq's election legislation was just amended in December following a political impasse, causing the election to be pushed back from Jan. 31 to Feb. 27.

US Judge Ricardo Urbina ruled Jan. 19 that charges may be brought again against six individuals accused of massacring 17 people in Nisur Square, Baghdad, in 2007 while working for Blackwater Worldwide. The decision comes two weeks after a previous indictment was dismissed without prejudice.

Death squads returned to the streets of Baghdad with the first targeted killing of civilians in the city for more than two years, Iraqi media reported Jan. 19. Masked gunmen walked into the office of the Mawteni charitable foundation in a Sunni part of central Baghdad and executed five employees. They also left behind a car bomb at the entrance of the building, which exploded when police arrived on the scene, injuring two officers. (London Times, Jan. 19)

The Supreme Iraq Criminal Tribunal sentenced Ali Hassan al-Majid to death by hanging on Jan. 17, finding him guilty of having ordered the Kurdish town of Halabja gassed in 1988. The gassing of Halabja, which killed 5,000 Kurds, was part of the wider Anfal campaign against Kurds in Iraq during the Saddam Hussein regime, which saw numerous such attacks. Though al-Majid, better known by his sobriquet "Chemical Ali," has the right to appeal, Iraq deputy justice minister Busho Ibrahim said that his hanging is expected within days. Al-Majid, who has already been sentenced to death three other times, has still more alleged crimes to his name, but those will not go to trial.

Shell Oil and Malaysia's state-run Petronas finalized a contract Jan. 17 to develop Iraq's giant Majnoon oil field. In December, Shell and Petronas beat a rival bid from France's Total and China's CNPC to develop the 12.6 billion barrel field in southern Iraq. The field currently produces just 46,000 barrels per day. Shell and Petronas have pledged to increase that output to 1.8 million bpd. (BBC News, Jan. 17)

The Jerusalem Post of Jan. 15 is the latest outlet to cite claims in Iraq's Ur news agency that the Iraqi Antiquities and Heritage Authority is planning to build a huge mosque on top of the Shrine of Al-Kifi—thought to be the tomb of the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel—and that ancient Hebrew inscriptions and ornaments are being covered or removed from the site south of Baghdad under the guise of renovations.

A military judge ruled Jan. 11 that the trials for two Navy SEALs accused in the assault of an Iraqi prisoner will be held on a US military base in Iraq in order for the alleged victim to be questioned in court. Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Keefe and Petty Officer 1st Class Julio Huertas are accused of assisting in a cover-up of the alleged assault of Ahmed Hashim Abed after his capture in September. A third SEAL, Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew McCabe, is accused of assaulting Abed after his capture as well as assisting in the cover-up of the assault. Abed is suspected of organizing the 2004 ambush and killing of four US contractors in Fallujah. A hearing has tentatively been scheduled for Jan. 13 to determine if McCabe's trial should also be moved to Iraq. Keene and Huertas will face trial in April, while a trial date has not yet been set for McCabe. All three men have pleaded not guilty to the charges.