Calipari 'kept US in the dark'

2005-03-12 22:31

The road to Baghdad airport. (AP)

Rome - US authorities in Iraq were kept in the dark about an Italian operation to free a kidnapped journalist which ended in debacle with an intelligence officer killed by US troops, an Italian general was quoted on Saturday as saying.

Italian agent Nicola Calipari died in gunfire near a US checkpoint and journalist Giuliana Sgrena was wounded as their car drove to Baghdad airport on March 4, just after her release.

Mario Marioli, a deputy commander of the US-led coalition troops in Iraq, was quoted by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica as saying: "I asked Calipari if I should inform our American allies of the hostage-freeing operation, but his reply was that under no circumstances was the ally to be informed."

US authorities say the vehicle had failed to respond to signals to stop.

La Repubblica quoted statements by Marioli to Italian investigating magistrates probing the incident. He said he had twice been warned by Calipari not to disclose the operation to the Americans.

On the second occasion, with the hostage already free but the operation not yet complete, the general had asked whether he should warn the Americans that the Italians were driving to the airport with Sgrena.

"I was told no, although I warned that this might mean a quarter of an hour's wait at the checkpoint at the airport entrance," Marioli was quoted as saying.

The Italian government accepts the killing was an accident, but Italian and US versions differ.

Washington says the car was speeding and failed to slow down or stop after soldiers flashed lights and fired warning shots.

Italian ministers say it was not speeding and there were no warning indications. Sgrena has suggested the US troops may have deliberately opened fire.

There had previously been suggestions that US forces may have been only partially informed about Calipari's mission, indicating troops on the ground may not have known who was in the car on a stretch of road notorious for insurgent attacks.

On Friday La Repubbica quoted statements by Marioli to magistrates that he had provided documents for the agent and an aide, but did not know details of their operation.

"The US chain of command had only bits of information...." the daily quoted the report as saying.

Meanwhile Italian Justice Minister Roberto Castelli on Friday accused Sgrena of causing problems.

"She expresses herself imprudently and she has acted imprudently," he said on Italy's Sky TG24 television news channel.

"She has caused enormous problems to the government and also mourning that could have been avoided," said the minister, a member of the right-wing Northern League, a junior coalition partner in Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government.

He was responding to Sgrena's remarks that she had no confidence in the joint Italian-American enquiry.

Speaking on television she said: "I feel accused over having been kidnapped and for having been released. I feel like a victim of cannibalism."

- AFP