Home>News Center>World
         
 

Italy rejects US version of Iraq shooting
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-06 21:49

Italian hostage Giuliana Sgrena, shot and wounded after being freed in Iraq, said Sunday U.S. forces may have deliberately targeted her because Washington opposed Italy's policy of dealing with kidnappers.

She offered no evidence for her claim, but the sentiment reflected growing anger in Italy over the conduct of the war, which has claimed more than 20 Italian lives, including the secret agent who rescued her moments before being killed.


Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena is helped to disembark from the plane which took her from Baghdad to Rome Saturday, March 5 2005. [Reuters]
Friday evening's killing of the agent and wounding of the journalist, who worked for a communist daily, has sparked tension with Italy's U.S. allies and put pressure on Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to take a hard line with President Bush.

The United States has promised a full investigation into incident, in which soldiers fired on the Italians' car as it approached Baghdad airport Friday evening.

The U.S. military says the car was speeding toward a checkpoint and ignored warning shots, an explanation denied by government ministers and the driver of the car.

Speaking from her hospital bed where she is being treated, Sgrena told Sky Italia TV it was possible the soldiers had targeted her because Washington opposes Italy's dealings with kidnappers that may include ransom payments.

"The United States doesn't approve of this (ransom) policy and so they try to stop it in any way possible."

According to Italy's leading daily Corriere della Sera, the driver, an unidentified Italian agent, said: "We were driving slowly, about 40-50 km/h (25-30 mph)."

In a harrowing account of her ordeal, Sgrena wrote in Sunday's Il Manifesto newspaper that the secret agent, Nicola Calipari, saved her life by shielding her with his body.

"Nicola threw himself on to protect me and then suddenly I heard his last breath as he died on top of me," she wrote.

PUNISHMENT, APOLOGY

Although Italy has denied paying kidnappers in past hostage releases, Agriculture Minister Gianni Alemanno told the Corriere that "very probably" a large ransom had been paid in this case.

Italian newspapers have speculated that anything up to 8 million euros ($10 million) may have been paid.

"We need to get the guilty punished and an apology from the Americans," Alemanno said. "We are trustworthy allies but we must not give the impression of being subordinates."

Italy's minister for parliamentary relations, Carlo Giovanardi, has also said he did not believe the U.S. version of events.

A national outpouring of grief and anger put pressure on Berlusconi, an ardent supporter of Bush and his war on terror, to get answers from Washington on what went wrong.

"All 57 million Italians who were united in the anticipation of Giuliana Sgrena's liberation have the right to know what happened," said Romano Prodi, the former prime minister and leader of Italy's center-left opposition.

Berlusconi summoned the U.S. ambassador immediately after the event and will need to present some answers from Washington when he addresses parliament Wednesday.

He led Italy into the conflict in Iraq where it has some 3,000 soldiers, a decision opposed by a majority of Italians and the opposition which is seeking to unseat him at a general election next year and weaken him at regional polls next month.



 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

US-Japan security alliance should not include Taiwan

 

   
 

Market to have bigger say in yuan rate

 

   
 

Grain self-sufficiency still key for nation

 

   
 

Leading group to oversee energy sector

 

   
 

Heinz recalls its dye-fouled products

 

   
 

Italy rejects US version of Iraq shooting

 

   
  Iraqis set opening for new parliament
   
  Iran admits keeping nuclear program secret
   
  Palestinians say Israel to hand over W.Bank city
   
  U.N.: Women, children among Congo militias
   
  Syrian troops to begin pullback Monday
   
  Italy rejects US version of Iraq shooting
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 国产肥熟女视频一区二区三区| 欧美激情一区二区三区| 国产欧美va欧美va香蕉在线| jazzjazz国产精品一区二区| 日本一区二区三区在线观看| 亚洲aⅴ无码专区在线观看q| 91精品视频在线| 成人一a毛片免费视频| 亚洲人成亚洲人成在线观看| 爱情岛永久入口网址首页| 四虎影视成人永久免费观看视频| 久久久噜久噜久久gif动图| 无人视频在线观看免费播放影院 | 午夜时刻免费实验区观看| 高清国产av一区二区三区| 国产精品免费视频网站| HEYZO无码综合国产精品| 思思99热在线观看精品| 四虎成年永久免费网站| 国产91免费在线观看| 嫩的都出水了18p| 五月天综合视频| 欧美最猛性xxxx| 免费a级毛视频| 黄色永久免费网站| 国产精品综合一区二区| aaa毛片免费观看| 嫩草影院一二三| 中文字幕在线成人免费看| 日韩久久无码免费毛片软件| 免费一级毛片女人图片| 老司机精品导航| 国产亚洲人成网站观看| 97无码免费人妻超级碰碰夜夜| 日本免费无遮挡吸乳视频电影| 亚洲白色白色在线播放| 老板在娇妻的身上耸动| 女人18毛片a级毛片免费视频 | 99久久国产综合精品成人影院| 日本免费精品一区二区三区 | 久久久久无码中|