RKMBs Forums .::Important::. Politics and Current Events Oh, GOOD Fucking SHOW!

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By Andrew Marshall

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena was freed by her captors on Friday but U.S. forces in Iraq (news - web sites) mistakenly opened fire on the convoy taking her to safety, wounding her and killing an Italian secret service agent.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, one of President Bush (news - web sites)'s staunchest supporters in Iraq, immediately summoned the American ambassador, demanding explanations and declaring someone had to take responsibility.

U.S. forces at a checkpoint shot dead the agent and wounded Sgrena in the shoulder while she was being driven to Baghdad airport after being freed and handed over to three Italian secret service officers, Berlusconi told a news conference.

"We were turned to stone when the officials told us about it on the telephone," Berlusconi said.

"The agent, Nicola Calipari covered Sgrena with his body, he was hit by a bullet which unfortunately was fatal," he said. All three other passengers were wounded. Sgrena was treated for a shrapnel wound in her shoulder at a U.S. military hospital.

The 57-year-old Sgrena was kidnapped on Feb. 4. Insurgents later released a video of her sobbing and wringing her hands as she pleaded for Italian troops to leave Iraq.

In Washington, the White House said it regretted the shooting. The U.S. military said American soldiers tried to warn occupants of the vehicle -- flashing lights and firing warning shots -- as it sped toward a checkpoint, then fired into its engine block when it did not stop.

"This news which should have been a moment of celebration, has been ruined by this firefight," said Gabriele Polo, editor of Sgrena's Il Manifesto paper, a Rome-based Communist daily. He deplored "completely senseless and mad" events in Iraq.

Berlusconi said he personally knew Calipari who had worked on previous hostage release cases in Iraq and that the agent's wife worked in his Palazzo Chigi office.

The man, a former policeman, was also known to Sgrena's partner Pier Scolari who he met in the days running up to her release.

"He was an extraordinary man, a man who gave me the certainty that Giuliana would come home. When I learned he had been killed by American soldiers ... I felt a pain which for a moment overshadowed the joy of (Giuliana's) liberation."

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The U.S. military said American soldiers tried to warn occupants of the vehicle -- flashing lights and firing warning shots -- as it sped toward a checkpoint, then fired into its engine block when it did not stop.

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Doesn't this whole incident seem more than a little odd?

Sgena was kidnapped by her admitted friends in Iraq.

She was kidnapped while on the phone with another journalist.

A tape was released of her begging Italy to cave to the terrorists demands of pulling Italian troops out of Iraq the day before the Italian Senate was to vote on that very issue.

On the tape Sgrena appears to tell the 'terrorist' holding the camera to stop. He follows her order as if she is directing.

The tape came exactly two-weeks after she was captured.

One month to the day after her abduction she is released.

On the day of her release her car speeds toward a US checkpoint, fails to stop when ordered, fails to heed warning shots, and the car is ultimately fired upon.

In the end, who looks like the bad guys? The terrorists? The jihadis? The 'insurgents'? No, the US.

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Italian Journalist Rejects U.S. Account

ROME - The Italian journalist wounded by American troops in Iraq (news - web sites) after her release by insurgents rejected the U.S. military's account of the shooting and declined Sunday to rule out the possibility she was deliberately targeted. The White House said it was a "horrific accident" and promised a full investigation.

Meanwhile, an autopsy performed on the agent who died trying to save Giuliana Sgrena reportedly showed he was struck in the temple by a single round and died instantly as the car carrying Sgrena sped to the Baghdad airport.

Friday's shooting that wounded the 56-year-old journalist and killed Italian intelligence officer Nicola Calipari as they were celebrating her freedom has fueled anti-American sentiment in a country where people are deeply opposed to U.S. policy in Iraq.

But government officials indicated the shootings would not affect the decision by Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi — a strong U.S. ally — to maintain 3,000 troops in Iraq to help secure peace in the country.

"The military mission must carry on because it consolidates democracy and liberty in Iraq," Communications Minister Maurizio Gasparri was quoted as saying by the ANSA news agency. "On the other hand, we must control — but not block — the presence of civilians and journalists, who must observe rules and behavior to reduce the risks."

Sgrena, who works for the communist daily Il Manifesto, did not rule out that she was targeted, saying the United States likely disapproved of Italy's methods to secure her release, although she did not elaborate.

"The fact that the Americans don't want negotiations to free the hostages is known," Sgrena told Sky TG24 television by telephone, her voice hoarse and shaky. "The fact that they do everything to prevent the adoption of this practice to save the lives of people held hostages, everybody knows that. So I don't see why I should rule out that I could have been the target."

Italian officials have not provided details about the negotiations leading to Sgrena's release Friday after a month in captivity, but Agriculture Minister Giovanni Alemanno was quoted as saying it was "very likely" a ransom was paid. U.S. officials object to ransoms, saying it encourages further kidnappings.

White House counselor Dan Bartlett said Sunday the shootings were a "horrific accident" and pointed out that President Bush (news - web sites) had called Berlusconi to offer condolences and promise a full investigation.

"As you know, in a situation where there is a live combat zone, particularly this road to the airport, has been a notorious area for car bombs, that people are making split-second decisions, and it's critically important that we get the facts before we make judgments," Bartlett said on CNN's "Late Edition."

The U.S. military has said the car Sgrena was riding in was speeding, and Americans used hand and arm signals, flashing white lights and warning shots to get it to stop at the roadblock.

But in an interview with Italian La 7 TV, Sgrena said, "There was no bright light, no signal." She also said the car was traveling at "regular speed."

Sgrena also recalled how Calipari, who led negotiations for her release, died after throwing himself over her when the shooting broke out as they were celebrating her freedom on the way to the airport.

"I remember only fire," she wrote in Il Manifesto, which fiercely opposed the war in Iraq. "At that point a rain of fire and bullets came at us, forever silencing the happy voices from a few minutes earlier."

Sgrena said the driver began shouting that they were Italian, then "Nicola Calipari dove on top of me to protect me and immediately, and I mean immediately, I felt his last breath as he died on me."

Suddenly, she said, she remembered her captors' words, when they warned her "to be careful because the Americans don't want you to return."

Sgrena wrote that her captors warned her as she was about to be released not to signal her presence to anyone, because "the Americans might intervene." She said her captors blindfolded her and drove her to a location where she was turned over to agents and they set off for the airport.

Calipari's body was returned to Italy late Saturday, and Berlusconi and President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi joined Calipari's wife, mother and two children at Rome's Ciampino Airport to receive it.

An autopsy was performed Sunday, and ANSA quoted doctors as saying Calipari was struck in the temple by a single round and died instantly.

The body lay in state at Rome's Vittoriano monument and a state funeral was planned for Monday. Calipari was to be awarded the gold medal of valor for his heroism.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld called Italy's defense minister, Antonio Martino, "to express the sorrow of the American administration, and his own personal sorrow for the death of Nicola Calipari," Italy's Defense Ministry said in a statement. The U.S. military has promised an "aggressive" investigation.

Italian military officials said two other agents were wounded, but U.S. officials said it was only one.

Iraqi politician Younadem Kana told Belgian state TV Saturday evening that he had "nonofficial" information that a $1 million ransom was paid for Sgrena's release, the Apcom news agency reported from Brussels. The report could not be confirmed.

Sgrena told Sky TG24 she had no intention of returning to Iraq. Her captors, she said, made it clear that "they do not want witnesses and we are all perceived as possible spies."

Sgrena was abducted Feb. 4 by gunmen who blocked her car outside Baghdad University. She was later shown in a video pleading for her life and demanding that all foreign troops — including Italian forces — leave Iraq.

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Pariah said:
I trust the soldiers more than I trust her. I'd sooner think conspiracy and that she staged her own kindnapping just to devalue the U.S. for some reason.

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I'll remember that next time you slam someone for making up wild conspiracy theories.

I will, however, concede your point about her credibility.

I just thought of something: do they have surveilance cameras or anything like that a these checkpoints? Were there any journalists around that somehow recorded the incident on tape? I'm wondering if somehow there's anything that could confirm exactly what happened. This way nobody can accuse anybody of making anything up.

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Poverty Lad said:
I admit my initial response was visceral, and led me to post this thread in haste. Noting another thread on how the "liberal" media is quick to jump on anything negative, I have to say I'd agree in this case; when I made my post, the headlines were all saying the freed reporter herself had been killed. Mea culpa for kneejerk posting. I know better. (<---- Yes, doc, I agree I deserved that... )

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the G-man said:
Yeah, the more she talks, the less credible she becomes.

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I love how one of her big pieces of evidence to support her claim is that her captors told her to be careful because the US didn't want her to return. Personally, I've always trusted terrorists who not only kidnap innocent civilian foreigners and broadcast they're beheading on the internet, but who also target and kill their own people with car bombs and gun fire.

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Ultimate Jaburg53 said:
Once while watching Judge Mills Lane on TV He said; "Best to stand there and look like a fool, than to open up your mouth and remove all doubt".

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rex said:
This cunt worked for a communist newspaper. That is all you need to know about her.

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britneyspearsatemyshorts said:
who the hell is this Twain character? i bet he ripped of the judge.

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By ANGELA DOLAND, Associated Press Writer

ROME - Italy's foreign minister said Tuesday that the car carrying an intelligence officer killed by U.S. fire in Iraq last week was not speeding up and did not receive signals to stop, countering suggestions by American authorities.

Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini, speaking to parliament, also ruled out suggestions that the shooting that killed Nicola Calipari was the result of an ambush, but reiterated the government's demands for a full explanation from Washington.

Fini was the first Italian official to openly dispute the U.S. account, and his comments put fresh pressure on Washington to get to the bottom of the matter. President Bush has promised a full investigation.

Calipari, 50, was shot Friday as he headed to the Baghdad airport after securing the release of Giuliana Sgrena a month after the Italian journalist was abducted by Iraqi gunmen.

"The car was traveling at a velocity that couldn't have been more than 40 kilometers (25 miles) per hour," Fini said. There were no attempts to stop the car, as indicated by the U.S. military, he added.

Sgrena has said the shooting might have been intentional because the United States opposes Italy's policy of negotiating with kidnappers. Fini dismissed that hypothesis as "groundless."

"It was an accident," he told lawmakers. "This does not prevent, in fact it makes it a duty for the government to demand that light be shed on the murky issues, that responsibilities be pinpointed, and, where found, that the culprits be punished."

He said Calipari, an experienced officer who had negotiated the release of other hostages in Iraq in the past, "made all the necessary contacts with the U.S. authorities," both with those in charge of airport security and with the forces patrolling areas next to the airport.

Several Rome newspapers have said a lack of communication between Italian intelligence and U.S. forces may have led to the gunfire. La Repubblica daily, citing unnamed U.S. military sources, said that Italian officials did not send notice of the hostage's liberation or of the type of vehicle she was being carried in.

Fini stressed that the U.S. government is an allied country that has promised full cooperation.

Fini's comments come a day after Italy honored the slain intelligence agent with a state funeral that drew up to 20,000 mourners. Crowds lined the streets and clapped as a car bearing his casket approached the Rome basilica.

The slaying of Calipari has fueled anti-American sentiment in a country where many protested the war in Iraq.

Premier Silvio Berlusconi, a strong U.S. ally who sent 3,000 troops to secure postwar Iraq despite opposition at home, has demanded a full explanation from Washington.

Amid the unanswered questions and outrage, Italian officials at the funeral urged national unity in Calipari's memory.

"This is the moment to pay homage all together, without controversy, to the heroic gesture of Nicola Calipari," Berlusconi's right-hand man, Gianni Letta, told the crowd. "We are proud of you, we'll follow your example and your extraordinary lesson in life."

Sgrena has said Calipari died in her arms after trying to shield her with his body from the American fire.

Before the funeral, Calipari's body lay in state at Rome's Vittoriano monument, where police estimated 100,000 people streamed past his coffin. The body had been returned from Iraq on Saturday night.

Italian military officials said two other intelligence agents were wounded in the shooting; U.S. officials said it was only one. Sgrena rejected the U.S. military's account of the shooting, claiming that American soldiers gave no warning before they opened fire.

The White House dismissed Sgrena's suggestion she was deliberately targeted.

"It's absurd to make any such suggestion, that our men and women in uniform would target individual citizens," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said. He noted that the car was traveling on one of the most dangerous roads in Iraq.

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Nicola Calipari (search) was a veteran Italian secret service agent and practiced negotiator who had helped return two hostages kidnapped in Iraq home to their loved ones in Italy.

At least once before, Calipari reportedly came close to negotiating the release of yet another Italian hostage — the journalist Giuliana Sgrena — but left Baghdad empty-handed, according to the news agency ANSA.

It finally happened Friday, when Sgrena was handed over to Italian officials following a month of captivity in the hands of Iraqi insurgents. But the happy occasion quickly turned sour when the car taking Sgrena, Calipari and other agents to the Baghdad airport was fired upon at a U.S. checkpoint.

Calipari was killed as he threw his body across Sgrena.

"He was an extraordinary man. Getting to know him, I became certain that Giuliana would come home," Sgrena's boyfriend Pier Scolari told ANSA (search).

Sgrena, 56, who works for the leftist newspaper Il Manifesto, was abducted Feb. 4 by gunmen who blocked her car outside Baghdad University

The state funeral of the Italian secret service agent shot dead by US forces in Iraq has been held in Rome.

Nicola Calipari died while shielding reporter Giuliana Sgrena who had just been released by kidnappers in Baghdad.

Among the mourners were Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who sent Mr Calipari on his fatal mission, and President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.

Thousands of Italians lined the streets outside the imposing basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs.

As uniformed soldiers carried the flag-draped coffin into the church, the packed congregation broke into applause.

And in a symbolic gesture, President Ciampi held both his hands up to the coffin and stood motionless in front of the body for almost two minutes.

At least 10,000 people paid their respects to the agent at Rome's Vittoriano national monument - home to Italy's tomb of the unknown soldiers - where his body had lain in state.

The US military is now investigating the incident in which Mr Calipari was killed.

Troops fired on the speeding car carrying the agent and Ms Sgrena after she was released from captivity. Mr Calipari was hit in the head by a single bullet and died instantly as he protected the journalist.

Recuperating from a shoulder injury sustained in the attack, Ms Sgrena has called for an explanation as to why their car was shot at when they were not approaching a checkpoint.

Ms Sgrena said: "When I realised that my liberator, I can say, Nicola was dead, it was terrible."

Mr Calipari's widow will be presented with the gold medal of valour for her husband's bravery.

TONY EASTLEY: The Italian secret service agent killed while rescuing a hostage in Iraq has been laid to rest, following an emotional state funeral in Rome overnight. Thousands stood outside the Basilica to pay their respects to Nicola Calipari who died when he was shot by American soldiers manning a guardpost in Baghdad.

The journalist whose freedom he negotiated, Giuliana Sgrena, wasn't able to attend the service because of the gunshot wounds she received when the car she and Mr Calipari were in was fired at.

Speaking to AM from her hospital bed, Giuliana Sgrena says she desperately needs answers from the Americans.

Alison Caldwell compiled this report.

(Sound of choir)

ALISON CALDWELL: Thousands of mourners packed into Rome's Saint Mary of the Angels basilica to farewell the secret service agent who has become a national hero.

(Sound of choir and service in Italian)

Italy's entire leadership was present, including the man who sent Nicola Calipari into Iraq, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The minister in charge of the Secret Service, Gianni Letta, asked for the diplomatic and political row to be put to one side momentarily.

"It's time to honour the heroic sacrifice of Nicola Calipari, without divisions, together without controversy," he said. "Let's leave the controversy outside".

Still in shock, Calipari's distraught widow, Rosa Maria, and her two teenage children attended the funeral.

Millions of Italians watched the ceremony on television. Among them, the woman whose life was saved by Calipari, Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena.

GIULIANA SGRENA: I'm feeling very bad and sad, bad from the physical point of view because of my injuries, and psychologically because today there is the funeral of Nicola, he tried to protect my life and he's dead.

ALISON CALDWELL: Speaking to AM from her hospital bed, Giuliana Sgrena suggests that the shooting may have been deliberate because America opposes Italy's policy of negotiating with kidnappers.

GIULIANA SGRENA: I don't say that myself I was a target, but what happened, there's no explication, so I want an explication, if not I can't believe that this action was against the political approach of Italians to the question of hostages.

(Sound of funeral service)

ALISON CALDWELL: The Pentagon has pledged a thorough investigation of the shooting, but Berlusconi wants answers before he addresses Parliament on Wednesday.

TONY EASTLEY: Alison Caldwell reporting.

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Pariah said:
G-Man! You facist pig! You've ruined Dave's attempt at expressing political bias.

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the G-man said:

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Pariah said:
G-Man! You facist pig! You've ruined Dave's attempt at expressing political bias.

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He has plenty of opportunity to express political bias. In fact, I welcome his bias.

I just locked what was bascially a duplicate thread.

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Dave said:
So much for all the WW2 era jokes that Italians have no courage.

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