Blackwater_NP1 is_VBZ accused_VVN of_IO creating_VVG more_DAR than_CSN 30_MC shell_NN1 companies_NN2 to_TO get_VVI U.S._NP1 contracts_VVZ WASHINGTON_NP1 --_NN1 Blackwater_NP1 Worldwide_RL created_VVD a_AT1 web_NN1 of_IO more_DAR than_CSN 30_MC shell_NN1 companies_NN2 or_CC subsidiaries_NN2 in_RR21 part_RR22 to_TO obtain_VVI millions_NNO2 of_IO dollars_NNU2 in_II American_JJ government_NN1 contracts_NN2 after_II the_AT security_NN1 company_NN1 came_VVD under_II intense_JJ criticism_NN1 for_IF reckless_JJ conduct_NN1 in_II Iraq_NP1 ,_, according_II21 to_II22 Congressional_JJ investigators_NN2 and_CC former_DA Blackwater_NP1 officials_NN2 ._. 
While_CS it_PPH1 is_VBZ not_XX clear_JJ how_RGQ many_DA2 of_IO those_DD2 businesses_NN2 won_VVD contracts_NN2 ,_, at_RR21 least_RR22 three_MC had_VHD deals_NN2 with_IW the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 military_JJ or_CC the_AT Central_JJ Intelligence_NN1 Agency_NN1 ,_, according_II21 to_II22 former_DA government_NN1 and_CC company_NN1 officials_NN2 ._. 
Since_II 2001_MC ,_, the_AT intelligence_NN1 agency_NN1 has_VHZ awarded_VVN up_RG21 to_RG22 $600_NNU million_NNO in_II classified_JJ contracts_NN2 to_II Blackwater_NP1 and_CC its_APPGE affiliates_NN2 ,_, according_II21 to_II22 a_AT1 United_NP1 States_NP1 government_NN1 official_NN1 ._. 
The_AT Senate_NN1 Armed_JJ Services_NN2 Committee_NN1 this_DD1 week_NNT1 released_VVN a_AT1 chart_NN1 that_CST identified_VVD 31_MC affiliates_NN2 of_IO Blackwater_NP1 ,_, now_RT known_VVN as_II Xe_NN1 Services_NN2 ._. 
The_AT network_NN1 was_VBDZ disclosed_VVN as_II part_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 committee_NN1 's_GE investigation_NN1 into_II government_NN1 contracting_VVG ._. 
The_AT investigation_NN1 revealed_VVD the_AT lengths_NN2 to_II which_DDQ Blackwater_NP1 went_VVD to_TO continue_VVI winning_VVG contracts_NN2 after_II Blackwater_NP1 guards_NN2 killed_VVD 17_MC Iraqi_JJ civilians_NN2 in_II Baghdad_NP1 in_II September_NPM1 2007_MC ._. 
That_DD1 episode_NN1 and_CC other_JJ reports_NN2 of_IO abuses_NN2 led_VVN to_II criminal_NN1 and_CC Congressional_JJ investigations_NN2 ,_, and_CC cost_VV0 the_AT company_NN1 its_APPGE lucrative_JJ security_NN1 contract_NN1 with_IW the_AT State_NN1 Department_NN1 in_II Iraq_NP1 ._. 
The_AT network_NN1 of_IO companies_NN2 --_NN1 which_DDQ includes_VVZ several_DA2 businesses_NN2 located_VVN in_II offshore_JJ tax_NN1 havens_NN2 --_NN1 allowed_VVD Blackwater_NP1 to_TO obscure_VVI its_APPGE involvement_NN1 in_II government_NN1 work_NN1 from_II contracting_JJ officials_NN2 or_CC the_AT public_NN1 ,_, and_CC to_TO assure_VVI a_AT1 low_JJ profile_NN1 for_IF any_DD of_IO its_APPGE classified_JJ activities_NN2 ,_, said_VVD former_DA Blackwater_NP1 officials_NN2 ,_, who_PNQS ,_, like_II the_AT government_NN1 officials_NN2 ,_, spoke_VVD only_RR on_II condition_NN1 of_IO anonymity_NN1 ._. 
Senator_NNB Carl_NP1 Levin_NP1 ,_, the_AT Michigan_NP1 Democrat_NN1 who_PNQS is_VBZ chairman_NN1 of_IO the_AT Armed_JJ Services_NN2 Committee_NN1 ,_, said_VVD in_II a_AT1 statement_NN1 that_CST it_PPH1 was_VBDZ worth_II "_" looking_VVG into_II why_RRQ Blackwater_NP1 would_VM need_VVI to_TO create_VVI the_AT dozens_NNO2 of_IO other_JJ names_NN2 "_" and_CC said_VVD he_PPHS1 had_VHD requested_VVN that_CST the_AT Justice_NN1 Department_NN1 investigate_VV0 whether_CSW Blackwater_NP1 officers_NN2 misled_VVD the_AT government_NN1 when_CS using_VVG subsidiaries_NN2 to_TO solicit_VVI contracts_NN2 ._. 
The_AT C.I.A_NP1 ._. 's_GE continuing_JJ relationship_NN1 with_IW the_AT company_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ recently_RR was_VBDZ awarded_VVN a_AT1 $100_NNU million_NNO contract_NN1 to_TO provide_VVI security_NN1 at_II agency_NN1 bases_NN2 in_II Afghanistan_NP1 ,_, has_VHZ drawn_VVN harsh_JJ criticism_NN1 from_II some_DD members_NN2 of_IO Congress_NN1 ,_, who_PNQS argue_VV0 that_CST the_AT company_NN1 's_GE tarnished_JJ record_NN1 should_VM preclude_VVI it_PPH1 from_II such_DA work_NN1 ._. 
At_RR21 least_RR22 two_MC of_IO the_AT Blackwater-affiliated_JJ companies_NN2 ,_, XPG_NP1 and_CC Greystone_NP1 ,_, obtained_VVD secret_JJ contracts_NN2 from_II the_AT agency_NN1 ,_, according_II21 to_II22 interviews_NN2 with_IW a_AT1 half_DB dozen_NNO former_DA Blackwater_NP1 officials_NN2 ._. 
A_ZZ1 C.I.A_NP1 ._. 
spokesman_NN1 ,_, Paul_NP1 Gimigliano_NP1 ,_, said_VVD that_DD1 Xe_NN1 's_GE current_JJ duties_NN2 for_IF the_AT agency_NN1 were_VBDR to_TO provide_VVI security_NN1 for_IF agency_NN1 operatives_NN2 ._. 
Contractors_NN2 "_" do_VD0 the_AT tasks_NN2 we_PPIS2 ask_VV0 them_PPHO2 to_TO do_VDI in_II strict_JJ accord_NN1 with_IW the_AT law_NN1 ;_; they_PPHS2 are_VBR supervised_VVN by_II C.I.A_NP1 ._. 
staff_NN officers_NN2 ;_; and_CC they_PPHS2 are_VBR held_VVN to_II the_AT highest_JJT standards_NN2 of_IO conduct_NN1 "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
"_" As_II21 for_II22 Xe_NN1 specifically_RR ,_, they_PPHS2 help_VV0 provide_VVI security_NN1 in_II tough_JJ environments_NN2 ,_, an_AT1 assignment_NN1 at_II which_DDQ their_APPGE people_NN have_VH0 shown_VVN both_RR skill_NN1 and_CC courage_NN1 ._. "_" 
Congress_NN1 began_VVD to_TO investigate_VVI the_AT affiliated_JJ companies_NN2 last_MD year_NNT1 ,_, after_CS the_AT shooting_NN1 deaths_NN2 of_IO two_MC Afghans_NN2 by_II Blackwater_NP1 security_NN1 personnel_NN2 working_VVG for_IF a_AT1 subsidiary_NN1 named_VVN Paravant_NP1 ,_, which_DDQ had_VHD obtained_VVN Pentagon_NP1 contracts_NN2 in_II Afghanistan_NP1 ._. 
In_II a_AT1 Senate_NN1 hearing_VVG earlier_RRR this_DD1 year_NNT1 ,_, Army_NN1 officials_NN2 said_VVD that_CST when_CS they_PPHS2 awarded_VVD the_AT contract_NN1 to_II Paravant_NN1 for_IF training_NN1 of_IO the_AT Afghan_JJ Army_NN1 ,_, they_PPHS2 had_VHD no_AT idea_NN1 that_CST the_AT business_NN1 was_VBDZ part_NN1 of_IO Blackwater_NP1 ._. 
While_CS Congressional_JJ investigators_NN2 have_VH0 identified_VVN other_JJ Blackwater-linked_JJ businesses_NN2 ,_, it_PPH1 was_VBDZ not_XX the_AT focus_NN1 of_IO their_APPGE inquiry_NN1 to_TO determine_VVI how_RGQ much_DA1 money_NN1 from_II government_NN1 contracts_NN2 flowed_VVN through_II the_AT web_NN1 of_IO corporations_NN2 ,_, especially_RR money_NN1 earmarked_VVN for_IF clandestine_JJ programs_NN2 ._. 
The_AT former_DA company_NN1 officials_NN2 say_VV0 that_CST Greystone_NP1 did_VDD extensive_JJ work_NN1 for_IF the_AT intelligence_NN1 community_NN1 ,_, though_CS they_PPHS2 did_VDD not_XX describe_VVI the_AT nature_NN1 of_IO the_AT activities_NN2 ._. 
The_AT firm_NN1 was_VBDZ incorporated_VVN in_II Barbados_NP1 for_IF tax_NN1 purposes_NN2 ,_, but_CCB had_VHD executives_NN2 who_PNQS worked_VVD at_II Blackwater_NP1 's_GE headquarters_NN in_II North_ND1 Carolina_NP1 ._. 
The_AT former_DA company_NN1 officials_NN2 say_VV0 that_CST Erik_NP1 Prince_NN1 ,_, the_AT business_NN1 's_GE founder_NN1 ,_, was_VBDZ eager_JJ to_TO find_VVI ways_NN2 to_TO continue_VVI to_TO handle_VVI secret_JJ work_NN1 after_II the_AT 2007_MC shootings_NN2 in_II Baghdad_NP1 's_GE Nisour_NP1 Square_NNL1 and_CC set_VVD up_RP a_AT1 special_JJ office_NN1 to_TO handle_VVI classified_JJ work_NN1 at_II his_APPGE farm_NN1 in_II Middleburg_NP1 ,_, Va_FW ._. 
Enrique_NP1 Prado_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 former_DA top_JJ C.I.A_NP1 ._. 
official_NN1 who_PNQS joined_VVD the_AT contractor_NN1 ,_, worked_VVD closely_RR with_IW Mr._NNB Prince_NP1 to_TO develop_VVI Blackwater_NP1 's_GE clandestine_JJ abilities_NN2 ,_, according_II21 to_II22 several_DA2 former_DA officials_NN2 ._. 
In_II an_AT1 internal_JJ e-mail_NN1 obtained_VVN by_II The_AT New_NP1 York_NP1 Times_NNT2 ,_, Mr._NNB Prado_NP1 claimed_VVD that_CST he_PPHS1 had_VHD created_VVN a_AT1 Blackwater_NP1 spy_NN1 network_NN1 that_CST could_VM be_VBI hired_VVN by_II the_AT American_JJ government_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 is_VBZ unclear_JJ how_RGQ much_DA1 of_IO Blackwater_NP1 's_GE relationship_NN1 with_IW the_AT C.I.A_NP1 ._. 
will_VM become_VVI public_NN1 during_II the_AT criminal_JJ proceedings_NN2 in_II North_ND1 Carolina_NP1 because_CS the_AT Obama_NP1 administration_NN1 won_VVD a_AT1 court_NN1 order_NN1 limiting_VVG the_AT use_NN1 of_IO classified_JJ information_NN1 ._. 
Among_II other_JJ things_NN2 ,_, company_NN1 executives_NN2 are_VBR accused_VVN of_IO obtaining_VVG large_JJ numbers_NN2 of_IO AK-47s_MC2 and_CC M-4_FO automatic_JJ weapons_NN2 ,_, but_CCB arranging_VVG to_TO make_VVI it_PPH1 appear_VVI as_CS21 if_CS22 they_PPHS2 had_VHD been_VBN bought_VVN by_II the_AT sheriff_NN1 's_GE department_NN1 in_II Camden_NP1 County_NN1 ,_, N.C._NP1 Such_DA purchases_NN2 were_VBDR legal_JJ only_JJ if_CS made_VVN by_II law_NN1 enforcement_NN1 agencies_NN2 ._. 
But_CCB defense_NN1 lawyers_NN2 say_VV0 they_PPHS2 hope_VV0 to_TO argue_VVI that_CST Blackwater_NP1 had_VHD a_AT1 classified_JJ contract_NN1 with_IW the_AT C.I.A_NP1 ._. 
and_CC wanted_VVD at_RR21 least_RR22 some_DD of_IO the_AT guns_NN2 for_IF weapons_NN2 training_VVG for_IF agency_NN1 officers_NN2 ._. 
