WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- The CIA hired private contractors at Blackwater USA for a clandestine effort to assassinate al-Qaida operatives, officials said.
Citing current and former government officials, The New York Times reported Wednesday night that executives of Blackwater, which has changed its name to Xe, provided planning, training and surveillance assistance to the CIA program, which did not result in the capture or killing of suspected terrorists.