January 07, 2010 CNN

Federal authorities have arrested two former Blackwater guards and charged them with murder in the deaths of two Afghans, the Associated Press reports.

Update at 2:41 p.m. ET: The AP says an indictment charges Justin Cannon, 27, and Chris Drotleff , 29, with second-degree murder, attempted murder and weapons charges. Both of them are in custody.

Both Cannon of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Drotleff of Virginia Beach, Va., told the AP recently that they were justified when they fired on a threatening vehicle last year in Kabul.

Blackwater, now known as Xe, fired both men after the shooting for failing to comply with the terms of their contract, the AP says.