British security firm says four killed, 15 injured in attack in Green Zone

Friday, November 26th 2004, 9:21 am

By: News On 6

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) A mortar attack killed four employees of a British security firm and wounded 15 others in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, the company and British officials said Friday.

The dead were former Gurkha fighters, Britain's foreign office said.

``The mortar landed in their camp,'' said a Foreign Office official on condition of anonymity

Tim J. O'Brien, spokesman for the London-based Global Risk Strategies, said the employees were killed Thursday, but declined to say what killed them.

``There was an incident yesterday. We lost four people and had 12 to 15 who were injured,'' he said. ``We can't confirm what this incident actually was until we go through internal investigations.''

Multiple explosions were heard Thursday and black smoke was seen rising from the fortified Green Zone, which houses the U.S. and Iraqi leadership. The protected area lies on the western bank of the Tigris River.

O'Brien declined to give out identities of the victims, but said that none of those killed were American.

Global Risk Strategies is a London-based firm that provides security in countries including Iraq and Afghanistan.