Newsgroup: it.politica.internazionale
Titolo: Berlusconi contesta in Senato la versione americana del caso Calipari - BBC

Poche righe ma chiare.
Am.
Last Updated: Wednesday, 9 March, 2005, 20:32 GMT  
 Italy disputes US hostage account
 
 
Mr Berlusconi says the US knew of Mr Calipari's journey to the airport
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has said the car carrying an 
Italian agent killed by US fire had stopped as soon as it was signalled. 
His statement contradicts US accounts of the incident in Iraq in which 
Nicola Calipari was shot taking freed hostage Giuliana Sgrena to Baghdad 
airport.
 Mr Berlusconi said the US must accept responsibility to restore 
relations.
 He said his government had demanded "maximum co-operation" from the US, 
and a joint inquiry had been promised.
 The US military in Iraq has begun an investigation led by Brig Gen 
Peter Vangjel into Friday's shooting. It is expected to take up to four 
weeks to complete.
  DIFFERING ACCOUNTS
 US military: Car approaches checkpoint at high speed
Troops attempt to tell driver to stop with arm signals, lights and 
warning shots
Soldiers shoot into engine
Italian government: Italy makes all necessary contacts with the US for 
safe passage
 The driver stops immediately when a light flashes 10m away
At the same time, shots are fired for 10-15 secs into the car
Relations between the US and Italy have been strained by the incident.
 Speaking to the Italian Senate, Mr Berlusconi said: "Only a frank and 
reciprocal recognition of eventual responsibility is the condition for 
closure of the incident, which was so irrational and caused so much 
sorrow."
 The prime minister said the US military had authorised the Italian 
journey to the airport.
 An agent travelling in the car with Mr Calipari had given an account of 
events which conflicted with the version given by the US military, he 
added.
 "A light was flashed at the vehicle from 10m away," Mr Berlusconi said. 
"The driver at this point stopped the car immediately and at the same 
time there was gunfire for about 10 or 15 seconds.
 "A few shots reached the vehicle and another one reached and killed Mr 
Calipari," he said.
 'Painful' truth 
"This reconstruction of events has been made according to what has been 
witnessed by another agent who was with Mr Calipari and does not 
coincide totally with what has been communicated so far by the US 
authorities."
 The US says the vehicle carrying Ms Sgrena to the airport was 
"travelling at high speeds" and "refused to stop at a checkpoint". 
Soldiers fired at the engine when the driver failed to stop after 
several warnings, military officials said.
 
Nicola Calipari died protecting freed journalist Giuliana Sgrena
 
Mr Berlusconi said he had spoken to US President George W Bush, who had 
promised to co-operate in finding out who was responsible.
 He said the idea that Mr Calipari had been killed by friendly fire was 
"painful" but added he was certain the US "has no intention of evading 
the truth".
 "I'm sure that in a very short time every aspect of this will be 
clarified," he said.
 "Our friendship with the US is strong and loyal, and we have the duty 
to demand from them the utmost truth."
 Mr Calipari has become a national hero and Italy's leaders joined 
hundreds of fellow citizens at his funeral.


Vediamo che succede.
Ciao

 Ah che capolavoro!
Dicevo già altrove che per me non è importante se un riscatto è stato pagato 
e menchemmai SE gli americani sono stati avvertiti o meno: lì sparano a 
un'auto? Poteva essere un'auto di civili e nessuno avrebbe saputo nulla, se 
non erano italiani ma - puta caso - iracheni...(e come infatti ci sono altri 
casi che sarebbero passati inosservati se non fosse successo anche il 
"nostro" ahimé!).
Invece è ora che si metta sotto accusa la facilità con cui accade il 
FRIENDLY FIRE, visto che sono solo loro americani a farlo!
Ciao 

 questa occasione - di avere uno zerbino e si faccia chiarezza sull'accaduto!
No, credo che tu ti stia facendo intortare dalla faccia feroce del Cav. 
Banana.
In realta' le due parti si sono gia' messe d'accordo per risolvere la 
faccenda pur di seppellire il cadavere nell'armadio, cioe' il pagamento 
del riscatto.
Questo e' il motivo per cui Calipari probabilmente non avverti' gli 
americani del suo ritorno in aereoporto, e il motivo per cui andava in 
giro con  una Toyota senza contrassegni e con una targa araba di notte. 
Amato ha avvertito il governo che non bisognava pagare riscatti, poche 
ore dopo che Fini aveva dichiarato che non ne era stato pagato nessuno: 
che risate!
La commissione congiunta trovera' una formula che accontentera' tutti, 
senza dire la verita', e noi aspetteremo di vedere come finira' la 
prossima volta che rapiscono un italiano. Probabilmente male, ma 
l'opposizione non potra' dir nulla, perche' ha gia' chiesto che non si 
paghino riscatti.
Ah che capolavoro!
Am.