Italy steps up 'row' with US

According to the Times, Mr. Fini "dismissed the American version that a lack of communication was responsible for the death of Nicola Calipari, who died in a hail of gunfire from US troops as he escorted a freed Italian hostage to Baghdad airport on Friday."

Fini denied the US explanation that the car carrying Mr. Calipari ignored US troop's warnings to stop and sped through a checkpoint, saying the car was traveling at no more than 25 miles per hour.

Fini added that Calipari had also made "all the necessary contacts" with US and Italian officials about the hostage's release and the journey to the airport.

The Washington Times, however, cites "an internal Pentagon memo" as saying that Italian security forces failed to make arrangements for safe transportation out of Iraq.

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This is war. About 500 American service members have been killed by hostile fire while operating on Iraqi streets and highways. The journalist was driving in pitch-dark and at a high speed and failed, according to the first reports, to respond to numerous warnings. Besides, there is no indication that the Italian security forces made prior arrangements to facilitate the transition to the airport.

The US has announced a full-scale investigation into Calipari's killing.

Fini rejected the allegation made by freed hostage Giuliana Sgrena that the car was deliberately targeted as "groundless". Ms. Sgrena, a reporter for the Italian communist newspaper Il Manifesto, suggested the United States targeted her because it opposes negotiations with terrorists to free hostages.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan called Sgrena's allegation " absurd".

According to the Times of London, "Italy reportedly paid more than $6 million for Signora Sgrena's release, which was negotiated by Signor Calipari himself."

But, the Turkish paper Zaman reports that "members of the Iraq Islamic Army who abducted [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."

BBC points out that the incident has " intensified the already strong Italian opposition to the country's military presence in Iraq and put intense pressure on Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government to find answers."

Thousands of Italians mourned Calipari's death Monday.

But Fini's comments were "very much for domestic consumption," according to the BBC, which notes that "political observers say there is a serious problem of jurisdiction in any attempt to bring criminal proceedings, because the shooting took place in an area under US military control in a third country."

Fini, however, sought to play down the political significance of his words. He said: "We hope this in not an opportunity to whip up political campaigns and to sow anti-American sentiment in public opinion, which certainly have no reason to exist."

Meanwhile, Reuters reports that US forces in Iraq " face new strains with allies" as Bulgaria says they probably shot dead one of its soldiers.

The shootings confirmed what for many Iraqis is a daily reality – that US forces are too quick to open fire and often kill innocent civilians in their efforts to crack down on insurgents, who killed at least 23 people in fresh attacks.

Also...
• What Iraq's checkpoints are like ( The Christian Science Monitor)
• Bolton diplomacy ( The Guardian)
• Terror suspects buying firearms, US report finds ( The New York Times)
• Springtime for Mid-East democracy? ( BBC)

• Feedback appreciated. E-mail Matthew Clark.