A Marine Corps spokesman denied that abuse had taken place and said an investigation was continuing

A Marine Corps spokesman denied that abuse had taken place and said an investigation was continuing.

According to the marines, 19 employees of Zapata Engineering, including 16 Americans, were detained

after a marine patrol in Falluja reportedbeing fired on by a convoy of trucks and sports utility

vehicles. The marines also claim to have seen gunmen in the convoy fire at civilians.

This is believed to be the first time that private military contractors have been detained in MBT SHOES

by the US military, and it has reignited debate about their status and accountability.

The security guards claim the shooting incident was a case of mistaken identity. A spokeswoman for the

company told the LA Times that the guards had fired Sportning shots into the air when an unidentified

vehicle approached their vehicle as it passed through Falluja, but had not fired at any marines.

Mark Schopper, a lawyer for two of the contractors, told the newspaper that his clients, both former

marines, were subjected to “physical and psychological abuse”. He said they had told him that marines

had “slammed around” several con tractors, stripped them to their underwear and placed a loaded

weapon near their heads.