US, Italy at odds over killing of Italian in Iraq

WASHINGTON - The United States and Italy have disagreed on the conclusions of a joint investigation into the killing of an Italian agent by US troops in Iraq, further straining ties between the two allies.

US soldiers killed Italian intelligence officer Nicola Calipari on March 4 when they opened fire on a car heading for Baghdad airport in which he was escorting Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena, who had just been released by kidnappers.

US officials said the soldiers followed their rules of engagement in firing on the car as it moved toward a checkpoint and should not be punished. Italy disputed this and left open the possibility of pursuing the matter in the courts.

"The investigators did not arrive at shared final conclusions even though, after examining jointly the evidence, they did agree on facts, findings and recommendations on numerous issues," the United States and Italy said in a joint statement issued by the US State Department.

The United States put the best face on what has been a major embarrassment for the Bush administration, saying the two governments remained allies and friends despite the incident.

State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said the United States and Italy disagreed on some facts as well as on the probe's conclusions and said no joint report would be issued.

Instead, the United States plans to release its own report in Baghdad on Saturday, a State Department official said.

The killing enraged Italy, where Calipari was a national hero and where the government has been a staunch supporter of the United States. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi sent 3,000 troops to Iraq despite strong opposition at home.

In Rome, Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini told reporters, "The Italian government could not be expected to sign a reconstruction of events that did not correspond to our own version of events," Fini told reporters.

"As far as Italy is concerned, it will be up to the judiciary to do everything it can, obviously with the support of the government," Fini said, without elaborating.

MURDER INVESTIGATION

In March, Rome prosecutors opened a murder investigation into Calipari's death and Italy's justice minister signed documents requesting information from witnesses.

A US Army official earlier this week said Italy was disputing two factual issues in the report: the car's speed as it approached the checkpoint and the nature of communications between the Italians and US forces before the incident.

The Army official said one of the "trip wires" in the incident was that "there was, in fact, poor communications between the Italians and the Americans."

Italy's government has said the Italians had been driving slowly, received no warning and had advised US authorities of their mission to evacuate Sgrena from Iraq.

The US Army said the car was "speeding" toward the checkpoint, that US soldiers tried to get it to stop by using hand and arm signals, flashing white lights and firing warning shots then shot into its engine block when it did not stop.

CBS news has reported that a US satellite had filmed the shooting and that it had been established the car carrying Calipari was traveling at more than 60 mph (96 km) per hour as it approached the US checkpoint in Baghdad.

Iraqis often complain that US troops are too quick to fire from checkpoints that are difficult to spot.

President George W. Bush expressed regret over Calipari's death in a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Rome on April 7.

Italy, a close US ally in Iraq despite opposition to the war at home, said last month it would begin withdrawing its troops from Iraq in September but the White House has said this was not connected to Calipari's death.

- REUTERS