Posted on 03/06/2005 9:05:06 AM PST by traumer
Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena has suggested US troops deliberately tried to kill her moments after she was released by her kidnappers in Baghdad.
Ms Sgrena, writing in her left-wing newspaper Il Manifesto, described how her car came "under a rain of fire".
At that moment, she said she recalled her captors' words that some Americans "don't want you to go back".
The US military, who said troops fired on the speeding car after it failed to stop, has opened a full investigation.
A top Italian secret service agent, Nicola Calipari, died in the incident as he shielded Ms Sgrena from the gunshots.
He had led the efforts to negotiate the release of the correspondent, held captive in Iraq for more than a month.
Everyone knows that the Americans do not like negotiations to free hostages, and because of this I don't see why I should exclude the possibility of me having been the target Giuliana Sgrena Ex-hostage
The body of Mr Calipari, who is being treated as a national hero, is lying in state in an imposing monument in the centre of Rome before a state funeral on Monday.
The incident in Baghdad threatens to have continuing political fallout in Rome, says our correspondent there David Willey.
Pressure will grow on Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a staunch ally of US President George W Bush, to reconsider the wisdom of keeping on Italian peacekeepers in Iraq, our correspondent says.
Already, the Italian foreign ministry has warned all Italian nationals to avoid travel to Iraq.
Sgrena's account
Details remain unclear about exactly what happened as the car carrying the Italian journalist, Calipari and two other agents made its journey towards Baghdad's airport late on Friday.
The US military says that the car was speeding as it approached a checkpoint and that soldiers used hand signals, flashed lights, and fired warning shots in an attempt to stop it, before opening fire.
DIFFERING ACCOUNTS US: Forces fired on a vehicle that was approaching at high speed Troops attempted to warn the driver to stop by hand and arm signals, flashing white lights, and firing warning shots When the driver didn't stop, the soldiers shot into the engine block Sgrena: The driver had spoken twice to the embassy and to Italy that we were on our way to the airport We were less than a kilometre [from the airport]... when... I remember there was shooting The driver began screaming that we were Italian We weren't going particularly fast given that type of situation
In pictures: Joy and dismay Italian press reaction
In her account for Il Manifesto, Ms Sgrena said the kidnappers had released her willingly.
When she got in the car, Calipari took off her blindfold and was "an avalanche of friendly phrases, jokes".
"Nicola Calipari was seated at my side. The driver had spoken twice to the embassy and to Italy that we were on our way to the airport that I knew was saturated with American troops. We were less than a kilometre they told me... when... I remember there was shooting.
"The driver began screaming that we were Italian, 'We're Italian! We're Italian!'"
Ms Sgrena has said the car was not going particularly fast.
Upon her release, she said, "They [the kidnappers] said they were committed to releasing me, but that I had to be careful 'because there are Americans who don't want you to go back'."
In another interview with Sky Italia TV, she said it was possible the soldiers had targeted her because Washington opposed the policy of negotiating with kidnappers.
Calipari's coffin arrives in Rome
Calipari: 'Extraordinary hero'
"Everyone knows that the Americans do not like negotiations to free hostages, and because of this I don't see why I should exclude the possibility of me having been the target," she said.
She said she did not know if a ransom was paid for her release - a policy the US does not approve either.
Ms Sgrena was abducted on 4 February, and later appeared in a video begging for help and urging foreign troops to leave Iraq.
Much of the country was opposed to the US-led war in Iraq and the government's decision to send 3,000 Italian troops to Iraq.
More Bovine Excrement!
If we wanted her dead, then she, her car and everyone in it, would have blown to smithereens.
If it is true I am really not happy. I thought our troops were better shots. We need more training.
This is the latest thing from the MSM and it appears to be international. They are so vain and myopic that they think our troops would deliberately try to kill them. Sure, many of our soldiers hate the media but it's because of such negative reporting them and pandering to the terrorists who target them every day. Look for this trend to continue.
Giuliana Sgrena is Communist anti-war apparatchik and terrorist sympathizer whose main reason for being in Iraq was to get the Muslim terrorists message out.
I don't believe anything she says.
She would be already dead If they wanted to kill her.
Hmmm...an out-of-touch-with-reality goof ball, writing for an equally out-of-touch-with-reality fish wrapper, stupidly inserts herself in a very dangerous part of the world where moronic, self-inflicted idealism is usally a death warrant and finds herself on the short end of the stick. Be glad your still alive, sh*thead.
Only for a month? Hmmmmmmmm....
The fact that she is alive proves the troops didn't want her dead.
You said that much better than I could. I completely agree!!
Ahhh...finally a headline that Eason Jordan can approve. THIS is the message he was attempting to relay, right? Now we're getting somewhere! All with the help of a Communist 'journalist' and her terrorist buds.
ping ?
L
Yes! This is what I was trying to say but I had brain-keyboard dissonance!
It is always the best who die
She's stupid.
I can't see her. She hurts me.
The obvious question here.
Why didn't the troops kill her once the car was stopped?
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