Blackwater founder tells of secret CIA aid

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- The founder of Blackwater Worldwide, the U.S. military contractor employed in Iraq and Afghanistan, says he helped secret CIA programs targeting al-Qaida.

Erik Prince, owner of the security company now known as Xe Services, told Vanity Fair in an interview he performed "very risky missions" for the spy agency while deflecting blame from the CIA if something went wrong.

"We were building a unilateral, unattributable capability," Prince was quoted as saying. "If it went bad, we weren't expecting ... anyone to bail us out."

Prince, a former SEAL, said he carried out secret missions as recently as two months ago when the Obama administration terminated his contract after media leaks revealed the operation, The Washington Post reported.

The magazine, granted rare access to Blackwater at facilities in the United States and Afghanistan, said Prince served a dual role for the CIA as both a contractor and spy who also ran intelligence-gathering operations.