A/HRC/7/7 page 13 selection of former military and police personnel from third countries. The same pattern of employing third-country nationals has also been used by the Government of the United States and a PMSC, Dyncorp, to implement the “Plan Colombia” in a manner which has allegedly in effect bypassed limitations imposed by the United States Congress.32 34. One of the major PMSCs providing military and security services in armed conflicts or post-conflict zones is Blackwater, a PMSC based in the United States. It is estimated to have some 2,300 private soldiers in nine countries and a database of more than 20,000 former military personnel ready for deployment and engagement on a short notice anywhere in the world. Its division in the Barbados, Blackwater’s Greystone Ltd., employs third-country nationals from countries such as Chile, Nepal, El Salvador, Honduras and others at salaries which are lower than those recruited in the United States.33 Behind the humanitarian façade, one of the main objectives of the corporation, as indicated by its founder, Erik Prince, would be to obtain for his own private military force a substantial piece of the current United Nations peacekeeping US$ 6-10 billion budget.34 Blackwater has been involved since the very first days of the occupation in Iraq and its convoys have been ambushed, its helicopters brought down, and it had 30 casualties including in a high-profile incident in Fallujah.35 In August 2006, the Federal Court of Appeals of North Carolina decided that it was competent in the lawsuit brought by the families of the four “guards” against Blackwater for not having provided them with adequate protection.36 35. The Working Group has been informed that major PMSCs based in the United States and operating in Afghanistan and Iraq include Blackwater, DynCorp, MPRI, Ronco, Triple Canopy and Vinell Corporation. Among the main British-based PMSCs are Aegis Defence Services, which obtained a contract from the United States Government to coordinate the other security companies operating in Iraq; ArmorGroup, Control Risks Group, Enrinys, Global Risk Group, 32 During the first phase of the Plan only 400 United States militaries had been authorized to operate in Colombian territory, plus 400 civilian contractors authorized by the United States Congress. In October 2004, the Congress allowed the Government to increase its presence in Colombia up to 800 militaries and 600 civilians. See J.H. Torres, “Mercenaries in Colombia”, Seminar on Privatization of security and warfare and impacts on human rights, Geneva, 21 March 2007. 33 J. Scahill, Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army, Avalon, 2007. 34 Robert Y. Pelton, supra, p. 4. 35 J. Scahill, “A very private war”, The Guardian, 1 August 2007. 36 Louis Hamsen, “Families sue Blackwater over deaths in Fallujah”, The Virginia Pilot, 6 January 2005, www.corpwatch.org; J. Scahill, “Blood is thicker than Blackwater”, The Nation, 1 May 2006.