Italy PM Disputes U.S. Version of Shooting

Associated Press via ABC News ^ | 10MAR05 | ANGELA DOLAND

[familyop]

ROME Mar 10, 2005 — Disputing Washington's version of events, Italy's premier said that an Italian intelligence agent who was shot to death by U.S. troops in Baghdad had informed the proper authorities that he was heading to the airport with a freed hostage.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi also told lawmakers that the car carrying agent Nicola Calipari and a just-liberated hostage was traveling slowly and stopped immediately when a light was flashed at a checkpoint, before U.S. troops fired on the car.

Though the U.S. and Italian versions of what happened Friday do not match up, "I'm sure that in a very short time every aspect of this will be clarified," Berlusconi said.

The idea that Calipari was killed by friendly fire is painful to accept, the premier said. But he reassured lawmakers: "The United States has no intention of evading the truth."

Berlusconi is a staunch supporter of President Bush and the U.S.-led campaign and has been struggling to balance his decision to keep 3,000 troops in Iraq against heavy anti-war sentiment in Italy.

The premier said Calipari had notified an Italian liaison officer, waiting at the Baghdad airport along with an American officer, that he was on his way with the freed hostage, journalist Giuliana Sgrena.

However, the top U.S. general in Iraq has said he had no indication that Italian officials gave advance notice of the route the Italians' car was taking. In a statement released after the shooting, the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division, which controls Baghdad, said the vehicle was speeding and refused to stop.

The statement also said a U.S. patrol tried to warn a driver with hand and arm signals, by flashing white lights and firing shots in front of the car.

Berlusconi's 20-minute address did not mention whether ransom was paid to win Sgrena's release. Some Italian officials have suggested a ransom was paid, but there has been no official confirmation. Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini denied Wednesday that ransoms were paid for any Italian hostages.

"There has been no payment," he said, speaking during a talk show on RAI1 state television.

Berlusconi once again urged Italians in Iraq to leave.

"When Italian citizens have been victims of kidnappings, the government has always acted by following two directives: It has always rejected political blackmail while at the same time activating all the political, diplomatic and intelligence channels to obtain the release of our nationals," Berlusconi said.

Calipari was shot and killed as he headed to Baghdad's airport after securing the release of Sgrena, who had been kidnapped on Feb. 4. Sgrena and another intelligence officer in the vehicle were wounded.

"The case of friendly fire is certainly the most painful to bear. It feels like an injustice beyond any sentiment. It's something unreasonable," Berlusconi said.

Photos aired by RAI, state TV's main evening news program, showed the light gray Toyota Corolla that Calipari and Sgrena were riding in, which is still in Iraq in the hands of the U.S. military.

The body of the car appeared to have little or no damage on its left side and front, including the lights. A few bullet holes are visible on the right side near the wheel and the front door.

Inside, the seats appear to be covered in glass, although the photos of the interior are grainy. A bullet hole also is evident in the back seat on the left side, where Sgrena reportedly was sitting.

U.S. officials have said American troops fired at the car's engine to stop it.

Berlusconi's address was well received and lawmakers followed it with a standing ovation in Calipari's honor.

The office of Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi said Wednesday that Bush had sent him a letter renewing a promise for a swift and thorough investigation.

In it, Bush called the shooting a "terrible tragedy" and expressed his solidarity, Ciampi's office said.

The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq announced Tuesday it was ordering an investigation into the shooting, to be led by a U.S. brigadier general with Italian officials' participation. Berlusconi said he expected the joint commission to release its findings in three to four weeks.

[familyop]

...also from the column.

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, center standing, delivers his address at a session in the Senate on the release in Iraq of Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena and the death of intelligence agent Nicola Calipari, in Rome Wednesday March 9, 2005. Calipari, who was killed by American forces in Iraq, had U.S. military authorization for his operation to win Sgrena's release, Berlusconi said Wednesday. With strained relations between Washington and one of its biggest allies, Berlusconi said that the car carrying Calipari and newly freed hostage Sgrena stopped immediately when a light was flashed. The U.S. military has said the Americans used hand and arm signals, flashed white lights and fired warning shots to try to get the car to stop. (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)

[Crazieman]

Oh come on, Berlusconi is smarter than that

And I liked him :(

[texasflower]

I saw an article that suggested that the ransom money was Berlusconi's own money. I've only seen that once though.

[longjack]

Here is part of a paragraph I translated from an article in Germany's "Spiegel" yesterday:

But the more painful question is why Nicola Calipari had to operate behind the back of the Americans. Why he had to tackle the final phase of a very dangerous operation with an ordinary rental car instead of ordering a helicopter from the Americans, and why he took the risk upon himself of driving along the most dangerous street in Baghdad in total darkness, instead of waiting in the Italian embassy until morning.

Good questions, considering Berlusconi has said US authorities were notified.

In parliament yesterday, Berlusconi directly contradicted Sgrena who had been saying the US did not want anyone negotiating with terrorists and would only interfere.

I would say that Sgrena has been passed off as a raving lunatic in the German press, which is good for us. Sgrena also works for the German weekly "Zeit", making the criticism of her even more telling.

The Italian papers were all over the Italian policy of paying ransoms yesterday. Italy even paid a ransom to get Fabrizio Quattrocchi's body back in order to give him a funeral !

Berlusconi has been denying any ransom was paid in the Sgrena case, however "Spiegel" this morning mentions that the payments are camouflaged by being booked under different names such as " a reward for assisting the Italian government in their efforts to liberate hostages", etc.

The conflict between Italy and the US now seems to have come down to whether the car was warned, and whether it had stopped at the checkpoint. That seems to be Berluscon's bone of contention at this time.

longjack

[ApesForEvolution]

How much $$$ did the Italians and this Communist b*tch hand over to the Death Cultists? Berlusconni, HOW MUCH?!

[bruoz]

"Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi also told lawmakers that the car carrying agent Nicola Calipari and a just-liberated hostage was traveling slowly and stopped immediately when a light was flashed at a checkpoint, before U.S. troops fired on the car.

Anyone who has ever driven in Italy knows this is BS.

[bruoz]

"U.S. officials have said American troops fired at the car's engine to stop it."

So they didn't lead it enough. S**t happens.

[neutrality]

He really has no other choice. I wouldn't blame him for this

[justa-hairyape]

Anyone who has ever driven in Italy knows this is BS.

Never been in Italy. Currently live in California where driving laws typically require drivers to brake for pedestrians. I was however in England a few months ago and came to the conclusion that English drivers actually speed up for pedestrians. The continent of Europe sure is behind the times. Still clinging to socialism. Still smoking heavy. And apparently their drivers are still 'unsafe at any speed'.

[fabrizio]

It really saddens me to see so many threads here where people supposedly able to tell media garbage from truth were ready to buy the MSM coverage of what happened, of what our reactions were and to pour s**t on Italy and Italians. People like me who support Bush, read Ann Coulter, campaigned for Dubya on the web, support the US anyway they can find all this really disappointing. Lefties are all happy now "see? this is yankee gratitude!!"

A sad incident happened. If you ask me, I think that my government should leave commmies to their destiny but on the other hand you must understand that a) our governments here do not have the same power a US prez has b) that we have to keep our position in Europe defending the US, sticking to our guns and yet ensuring a dialogue channel between the Euros and the US - Dubya praised us for that and needs that too. We have to move in a way that the governement won't fall.

No one in the goverment, ever, in no circumstance said that Americans are guilty of anything, or acting wrongfully about what happened. These things are tricky, you need investigations and see what happened. I think that those soldiers did their job period. That Italy should not carry out separate operations. And yet I was not there. Trying to figure out things is normal, among allies. You're not dealing with the French here!! In the last week, all our governemnt officials have been fighting 24/7 on every tv channel the attempt to transform a disgrace in a wave of anti-americanism as in the plans of the left and its media.

No anti-americanism here except from the left (is it any different in the US? Not that I remember). Why would you believe to the newspapeprs and CNN? (and Fox.com isn't any better anyway)? Do you think they lie only about Dubya? Only when they said that he "lost" debates and was going to lose the election? Or when they predicted that people wouldn't vote in iraq?

We are paying a high price to be in the coalition. You don't have an idea of what it is to be in the EU and to support the USA at the same time. Is it so strange that a PM tells the left "ok, here's your investigation, now leave us alone"? What was he supposed to do? Get real!

We have captured, denounced, spotted and helped to capture more terrorists in Europe than all the rest of the EU countries combined. There isn't one single international mission we're not in. When a truck bomb killed 20 of our boys in Nasiriyah all the nation stood firm and not a voice was raised against the ally. In April 2004, we killed dozens of islamofascists in the battle for the bridges, but not a word of praise for our boys. Our red cross is the only section of Int'l red cross that didn't flee Baghdad after the UN was hit.

I expect freepers to know better. I had hoped that when things get foggy, good friends were presumed right and the media reports wrong. Exactly what GW and the administration have been doing. Not the last reason why he's got so many fans over here.

It's really frustrating to be hit by leftist psycho-babble at home and by those you support abroad at the same time!

[GrannyML]

Excellent points, well-stated. You are right, we are letting our emotions get in the way of the facts. Thanks for giving this perspective!

[longjack]

Here's a question.

Are the reports true that in his talk with the Parliament Berlusconi questioned / contradicted the US explanation that the car didn't stop after warnings?

If that is true, then what do you expect from Americans?

Bush has said that the incident is unfortunate, that he regrets it and that he will investigate it fully. Basta. No pointing fingers, no conjecture. Berlusconi needs to take that chapter out of the manual 'diplomacy in action' and use it.

longjack

[mewzilla]

Why did the Italians try to run the checkpoint? That's all I want to know.

[johnb838]

The case of friendly fire is certainly the most painful to bear. It feels like an injustice beyond any sentiment.

Amateurs. Yes, friendly fire hurts, it hurts bad, but it's just as much a part of war as enemy fire. Berlusconi can kiss my grits. If he really had anything to do with ransom payments, it should be exposed, and we shouldn't pay a dime, or prosecute anyone for the death of the bagman in the communist woman's car. Let Berlusconi pay.

[johnb838]

We are sick and tired of our soldiers being persecuted for doing their jobs.

[justa-hairyape]

Lefties are all happy now "see? this is yankee gratitude!!"

Apparently the latest leftist nitwit rantings are to claim the US is trying to kill em. The communist reporter involved in this Iraq incident claimed the US was trying to kill her and just recently Chavez told the 'lefties' in France that the US attempted to kill him. Apparently both may be working from the same nitwit propaganda book.

In our war on Terrorism the US is attempting to capture and kill known terrorists that are planning or have been involved in commiting terrorist acts. Its probably just a matter of coincidence that a lot of these terrorists have ended up being leftist (Iraq and Syrian baathist for example).

[Smartaleck]

"Oh come on, Berlusconi is smarter than that"

Probably political posturing to CYA...well, his anyway.

[Smartaleck]

"So they didn't lead it enough. S**t happens."

Hey......the sight got bumped and shooting high ...happens as you say.

[Brian Allen]

<< Calipari had notified .... an American officer, that he was on his way with the freed hostage, journalist Giuliana Sgrena. >>

I believe this should read that the ransomer, Calipari, had told so,eone he was on the way to the airport with the ransomed un-and-anti-American communist agitator, Sgrena.