FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Clearwater Project of
March 10, 2008 noprivatearmies.org
Dan Kenney
815.793.0950 HB 5700 Could Make Illinois the Second State to Defeat Blackwater Worldwide

Illinois-March 8- Blackwater Worldwide, the private military firm being investigated for the shooting of 17 Iraqi citizens in Baghdad last September, withdrew their application to open a training facility in San Diego county California today. In a letter to the Planning and Land Use Department Brian Bonfiglio, Vice President of Blackwater West, said, “…the proposed site plan simply does not meet our business objectives at this time.”

Members of the Clearwater Project to Stop Blackwater in Illinois congratulate California’s Stop Blackwater group on their success in keeping Blackwater out of southern California.

At the same time the Clearwater Project calls upon Illinoisans to embrace HB 5700, introduced into the Illinois General Assembly February 15th. The bill also known as the Limitations on Private Military Contractors Act, provides that:

• No state funds shall be used to contract with or purchase services from any private military contractor or related security or law enforcement training entity for training of law enforcement officers or security guards;
• No military weapons or explosives may be used by private military contractors or related security or law enforcement training operations, except on secured U.S. military bases, other established government regulated facilities, or government-related facilities designed for that purpose;
• In the event of any natural disaster, civil disorder, labor dispute, or terrorist attack, no personnel trained by any private military contractor shall be used, employed, or contracted with to patrol, guard, control, contain, or arrest any Illinois resident or citizen nor to provide any type of security services of any kind during such emergencies. Effective immediately.

The Clearwater Project urges Illinois citizens to seize this opportunity to prevent Blackwater and other private military firms from operating in Illinois without regulation.. Call your local state representative today and urge them to co-sponsor HB 5700.

Additional Resources:www.noprivatearmies.org
Illinois State Representative Julie Hamos of the 18th District. Phone (847) 424-9898
Julie (at) juliehamos.org
820 Davis Street Suite 103, Evanston IL 60201
Clearwater Project: www.youtube.com/user/ClearwaterProject