Oops, there goes the "engine block" story...
Ms. Sgrena told Italian media that when U.S. forces opened fire on the car as it approached Baghdad airport, Mr. Calipari threw himself on top of her.
He was killed as hundreds of bullets riddled the car.
VOANews.com
Italian Journalist Held Hostage in Iraq Returns to Rome By Sabina Castelfranco Rome 05 March 2005
Listen:
http://www.voanews.com/mediaassets/english/2005_03/Audio/rm/castelfranco_sgrena_italy_5mar05.rm <...>
In the hospital, she was visited by the widow of the man who helped negotiate her release from Iraqi insurgents, and then apparently saved her life when the car came under fire, intelligence officer Nicola Calipari.
Ms. Sgrena told Italian media that when U.S. forces opened fire on the car as it approached Baghdad airport, Mr. Calipari threw himself on top of her. He was killed as hundreds of bullets riddled the car. She was wounded in the shoulder.
Italians are now demanding to know exactly what happened. The journalist's partner, Pierre Scolari, who traveled to Baghdad to escort her back to Italy, says both U.S. and Italian forces were aware that she had been released from captivity and that her car would be passing through checkpoints.
Mr. Scolari said they were 700 meters from the airport and had already passed some U.S.-manned checkpoints. <...>
Communist leader Fausto Bertinotti said, "war allows occupation forces to shoot at any time against anyone, even against those trying to save a human life. Shooting takes place every day, and there is only one thing to do, and that is to end this war."
But the Italian government is unlikely to change its policies in Iraq or withdraw its 3,000-strong contingent in the country. Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini said the incident would not harm relations between Italy and the United States. <...>
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