http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=a1TjdzW4US9Q
"Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi demanded the U.S. explain the shooting death of an Italian officer at a U.S.-controlled Baghdad checkpoint who was escorting a journalist freed in Iraq after a month in captivity."
"U.S.-led coalition forces fired on Sgrena's car at about 8:55 p.m. local time as the vehicle sped toward the checkpoint, said Marine Sergeant Salju Thomas, U.S. military spokesman, by telephone from Baghdad.It's an extremely threatening act,'' Salju said of the vehicle's speedy approach. That's the exact same thing that car bombers do.'' "
"sucks to be Calipari"
(http://www.ilmanifesto.it/pag/sgrena/)
Fini (Minister for Foreign Affairs) "thanked the involved institutions for their cooperation and stated that the excellent work of the institutions had made this result possible" (sounds very much like Finologia for "we paid some healthy sum of ransom"?) and hinted at the possibility of the U.S. tank crew "having been shot at" before they opened fire and demanded "a thorough investigation of the incident".
Well atleast they didn't pay for nothing, Sgrena lives and SISMI has another hero.
PS: I seem to remember Calipari from some earlier incident, but what exactly was it?
http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Cronache/2005/03_Marzo/05/calipari.shtml
http://www.adnkronos.com/Cronaca/2005/Settimana10da28-02a06-03/calipari_050305.html
Il capo dello Stato ha reso omaggio a Calipari conferendogli una medaglia al valore militare. "Rendo omaggio all'atto eroico di Nicola Calipari, alla cui memoria conferirò una medaglia d'oro al valore", ha comunicato Ciampi.
yes, very good idea...sigh. ritualize it away!
... @ the conspiracy machine running @ full speed "it was a terrible accident" - "NO, BLACK HELICOPTERS!!"
goldfish edition in short for the "tl;dr" audience:
The companion of Sgrena claims she was the victim of an ambush because "she had some information" (direct quote) and Italy goes mad about it.
full translation of an article on the matter from newspaper below (take it all with a grain of salt, it's the typical black-helicopters speculation that's always been very popular):
"THERE WAS NO CHECK POINT"
Roma - Pier Scolari, companion of Giuliana Sgrena, called upon Italian institutions not to lend their ear to American reports concerning the shooting of Calipari and wounding of another official shortly after the release of Sgrena. "Giuliana [Sgrena] was informed earlier that the american military forces wanted her dead", he told the italian press on saturday.
Scolari added that Sgrena had spoken of a "rain of bullets" spraying the vehicle in which she was being moved to the Baghdad Aeroport. "I don't believe it was an accident. Calipari was the best. He was very experienced and knew the way to the Airport by heart. It's unthinkable that he wouldn't have stopped at a checkpoint. There was no checkpoint."
"Shortly before she'd been released, Guiliana [Sgrena] had been warned that once free she'd be in grave danger. I think, Calipari fell victim to an assassination attempt", he said. "Either the americans will have to admit that their cowardly soldiers blindly shoot at everyone, or it was a special operation". (Sdo)
also:
http://www.agi.it/english/news.pl?doc=200503051445-1121-RT1-CRO-0-NF11&page=0&id=agionline-eng.oggitalia
http://www.ansa.it/main/notizie/fdg/200503052000189908/200503052000189908.html
http://www.ansa.it/main/notizie/fdg/200503052000189908/20050305201833308932_ass.html
slight haha @ Al ministro degli Esteri, che ha parlato di ''un macabro scherzo del destino'', il leader dei Ds replica secco: ''Il destino non spara''.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=ajdibfhOjhbI
""It wasn't a checkpoint, but a patrol that started shooting after pointing some lights in our direction," the Ansa news agency cited Sgrena as telling prosecutors.
U.S. soldiers "knew everything about our mission," Sgrena's driver was cited by daily Corriere della Sera today as telling the prosecutors."
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7817604
"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).""
Elsewhere I heard they shot about 200 bullets into the car.
actually, ansa quotes "400 bullets" and the car being shot while "no more than 600 metres from the airport", a point "where all checkpoints would have been passed already" and speculates about "an american patrol force".
some english-language report containing the same numbers:
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=617249
Iraq Islamic Army: We Refused Ransom for Italian Journalist
http://www.zaman.com/?bl=hotnews&alt=&trh=20050308&hn=17287
"Members of the Iraq Islamic Army who abducted the Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena state that they refused the ransom money offered for the journalist's release.
In the videocassette containing the image of Sgrena and the hostage takers that was broadcast earlier today, the two gunmen standing behind Sgrena read out the following statement: "After some research, we have decided to release her without accepting any of the ransom money that was offered. This is not one of the principles of the resistance." "
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=RQD0RF42TIM42CRBAEZSFEY?type=topNews&storyID=7839509&pageNumber=1
"On the drive back to the airport, the Italians left the lights on in the car to help identify them to U.S. checkpoints.
As they neared the airport, the car slowed to about 40-km/h because the road was wet and because the driver had to make a sharp turning. Half way around the curve, a searchlight picked out the car and guns opened fire for 10-15 seconds, Fini said.
The intelligence officer who survived the attack was forced to kneel in the road until the soldiers realized who he was.
"Two young Americans approached our officer and, demoralized, repeatedly apologized for what had happened," Fini said."
Rocco Buttiglione, minister for European affairs, said in a show broadcast by tg24, that "no ransom was paid for the release [of Sgrena]", but it was "possible that humanitarian aid was given to Sunni religious groups that were in contact with the kidnappers"
(haha)
he added, that he was "apalled by 'the antiamericanist left' perusing the tragic accident to push their agenda" and pointed to the "positive example of Bulgaria" and Bulgaria's reaction to the accidental shooting of Pvt Gardi Gardev.
Forza Italia spokesman Fabrizio Cicchitto meanwhile labelled Sgrena's accusations as "absolutely unacceptable", while the Libero proceeded to lambast Sgrena, writing that "a €6'000'000 ransom [had been paid] to liberate a woman who never denounced their captors but simulated [sic!] a dramatic appearance on TV."
[ansa/stdo]
Well, Berlusconi owns most of the Italian newspapers, I suppose that Forza Italia and Libero are two of those. The majority of the Italians are against the war according to polls.
Interesting that Buttiglione conceded that something was paid elsewhere.
As for Bulgaria, what is he talking about? I don't recall them being particularly happy having their soldier shot by "friendly" US fire the other day. ^^;
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7833452
Bulgaria Blames U.S. Troops for Fatal Iraq Shooting
http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-03-08-voa50.cfm
"Defense Minister Svinarov has urged Washington to explain why the attack happened and has called for better coordination among the U.S.-led coalition forces."
"Bulgaria has an infantry battalion of 460 soldiers [] but it is unclear if the government will extend its mandate beyond mid-2005."
Forza Italia is Berlusconi's party, not a newspaper.
Libero is a rightwing-conservative particularily fond of the Alleanza Nazionale.
I'm just trying to keep somewhat of a balance between the different viewpoints (ANSA is politically much like the AP, il manifesto is, well, post-communist, stdo is social-liberal).
>As for Bulgaria, what is he talking about? I don't recall them being particularly happy having their soldier shot by "friendly" US fire the other day.
Yes? So? It's Buttiglione I was quoting there. You know, Rocco "Poor Europe, breech-loaders are in the majority" Buttiglione. Yeah, that one.
He serves purely for utter comedy value.
On a sidenote, there have been much less black-helicopter sightings in Bulgaria than in Italy (best one yet: "The real target was Calipari, because knew of ties between the Americans and Moussab al-Zarqaoui; he knew too much, he had to die!"). If it weren't Rocco, that could have been a valid point to make.
>Interesting that Buttiglione conceded that something was paid elsewhere.
Yes, especially nice of him to drive into Fini's carefully laid-out rhetorics and tacking between the frontlines, not unlike a cavalcade of autoblindi steamrolling POOR HAPLESS KITTENS (although I must admit that the "SRY FOR DEATH - A JOKE/DESTINY" was pretty cool, too).
So Buttiglione is spouting nonsense. I'm gonna have to distrust his "humanitarian aid" story too until I heard it from a more reliable source.
As for Sgrena, I wouldn't trust anything she says right now. He has been captive for a long time and has seen someone dying right in front her eyes, perhaps for the first time in her life. Give her a rest.
http://www.techcentralstation.com/030705H.html
""It's a common occurrence in Iraq: A car speeds toward an American checkpoint or foot patrol. They fire warning shots; the car keeps coming. Soldiers then shoot at the car. Sometimes the on-comer is a foiled suicide attacker, but other times, it's an unarmed family.
"As an American journalist here, I have been through many checkpoints and have come close to being shot at several times myself. I look vaguely Middle Eastern, which perhaps makes my checkpoint experience a little closer to that of the typical Iraqi. Here's what it's like. You're driving along and you see a couple of soldiers standing by the side of the road - but that's a pretty ubiquitous sight in Baghdad, so you don't think anything of it. Next thing you know, soldiers are screaming at you, pointing their rifles and swiveling tank guns in your direction, and you didn't even know it was a checkpoint. " "
"[] the rules of engagement are themselves secret."
>>13
not to mention Stockholm Syndrome and the fact that she's a journalist.
>>14
christian science monitor?
oh and the photos of the car don't look like it was hit by 400 ballas at all. Especially since she said the car was shot at by a tank-mounted machinegun. Now I don't know anything about American tanks, but I remember clearly from my patriotic-duty-thing, that being hit by 400 bullets fired from a tank machinegun (surely no small caliber!) would manifest with a little more devastating effects than a few holes in the windscreen.
>Stockholm Syndrome
Exactly!
>400 bullets
I'm still waiting for the report of the guy who counted the holes before I trust the number. :)
With 400 bullets she should have been dead, unless the soldiers were real bad at shooting. ... well, they said they were aiming for the engine... maybe they were bad after all. ^^;
>christian science monitor?
Actually I'm surprised at how decent their articles have been generally. I haven't read many of them tho, but so far it has been looking fairly unbiased. Plus from the article it seems that they have at least one reporter in the country, which is more than can be said for most of the other news outlets.
Ok, RaiUno said tonight that 8 bullets were counted. ^^;
>>17
yes, the office of the public prosecutor in Roma now officially stated that "the Toyota Cololla [sic!] was hit by 8 bullets in the engine block and the passenger compartment" and noted that "the gun in question fires at a maximum frequency of 600 bullets per minute, which means that 400 bullets would have taken 40 seconds of sustained fire", referring to that scenario as "extremely implausible".
_"an editorial ran by today's issue of the WSJE lashed out at Italy's decision to pay a ransom of EUR 6'000'000.-, mentioning that an automatic weapon could be acquired for as little as EUR 40.- or a terrorist attack carried out with a cost of about EUR 200.- and that the payment would encourage further kidnappings[...]. It stated that shooting at a fast-moving car in a militarized zone was a tragic accident, but paying up to the demands was equivalent to deliberately supporting terrorism.
It also invited Sgrena to 'shed a tear' for the American fallen in Iraq[...].
Furthermore, it stated that the vehicle transporting Sgrena was moving in a "kamikaze-manner" towards American troops."_ (ANSA)
"When Italian citizens have been victims of kidnappings, the government has always acted by following two principles: it has at all times rejected political blackmail, while at the same time activating all the political, diplomatic and intelligence resources to achieve the release of our nationals" --il cavaliere (in short: we didn't pay the ransom, while at the same time we did)
oh man, I guess the Italians just haven't got their shit together!
I'm wondering at this practice of shooting at the car's engine - why not aiming at the tires instead?
its not that hard to drive with blown tires. you just decelerate a bit. i mean, its bad for the car surely, but it won't stop it.
besides, if its coming straight at you, hitting the tires would be pretty hard... you'd have to shoot through the engine or at least the radiator, essentially.
Was the car running straight toward the soldiers? I get the feeling the shooting was from an angle - because the guy who died protected the girl with his body. Also it would be strange that the driver ran directly toward a group of armed soldiers.
Also, firing at the engine from straight ahead is endangering the driver/passengers - the bullets could easily go thru the engine space and hit them. I think the proper warning procedure should be extended a little, like yell/use lights/signs, then shoot in the air, shoot in front of the car, shoot at the tires, shoot the engine, shoot the driver.
Maybe it's already like that, and we just don't know as the rules of engagement are kept secret. I doubt it, tho.
>Was the car running straight toward the soldiers?
"Fini said the car had slowed down to about 40 kilometers an hour to make a right turn at an intersection.Half way into the turn, a very strong light was shone into the car from the side of the road at a distance of about 30 feet and 'two automatic weapons opened up and (the firing) lasted approximately 10 to 15 seconds.'"
zomg an ambush! o_O
Ok, if it was turning then it wasn't running straight. This is getting more and more fishy... what was a "checkpoint" doing in a corner? >_<
And what was the delay between the strong light switch-on and the shooting? Was it a "reasonable" delay? The car was doing 40km/h, the soldiers probably didn't bother to wait, else the car would have been long gone and away...
I think it went that way: one of the soldiers got surprised when the car suddenly appeared (possibly out of a corner) and rushed thru the rules of engagement, shooting right away.
>>23
what's a "reasonable" delay in a war zone?
If I was a soldier in a war zone, without sufficient experience with policing and under the impression of concurrent suicide attacks, I'd probably open fire pretty soon, too, just to be safe. Especially if the car in question was racing towards me at an Italian "40 kph".
If they were firing for 10 to 15 seconds and only 8 rounds hit from 30 feet away at a car going only 40km/h, that means plenty of warning shots were fired before they trained their guns onto the car.
Besides, if a tank really wanted to blow them up, it'd use the big 120mm :P
http://www.repubblica.it/
"Ma. Gen. Mario Marioli, vice-comandate del Corpo multinazionale, stated in an interview with La Repubblica that 'Calipari had refused to inform the American forces about Sgrena's release', pointing out that he had called Calipari twice before the incident, asking whether he should inform the Americans about the impending release. He warned Calipari that the convoy would have to wait atleast 15 minutes at the airport checkpoint if he weren't to inform the U.S. forces. Calipari however declined both times"
Commedia dell'Arte