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| Europe |
| U.S. Soldier to Be Tried in Italy |
| 2007-02-07 |
| A judge Wednesday ordered a U.S. soldier to stand trial in absentia for the fatal shooting of an Italian intelligence agent at a checkpoint in Baghdad, the prosecutor said. Spc. Mario Lozano is indicted for murder and attempted murder in the death of Nicola Calipari, who was shot on March 4, 2005, on his way to the Baghdad airport shortly after securing the release of an Italian journalist who had been kidnapped in the Iraqi capital, prosecutor Pietro Saviotti said. Another agent, who was driving the car, and the journalist, Giuliana Sgrena, were wounded. "This looks to me like the first step on a long road toward truth and justice, and I hope justice will come in the end," said a visibly emotional Rosa Calipari, the agent's widow. Lozano was not at the hearing and his whereabouts are not known, but defendants can be tried in absentia in Italy. Judge Sante Spinaci set his trial date for April 17. Prosecutors so far have not sought the soldier's arrest. Lozano, a member of the New York-based 69th Infantry Regiment, has said through friends in the military that he had no idea the car was carrying the Italians. The case has strained U.S.-Italian relations. The United States and Italy drew different conclusions in reports on the incident. U.S. authorities have said the vehicle was traveling fast, alarming soldiers, who feared an insurgent attack. Italian officials claimed the car was traveling at normal speed and accused the U.S. military of failing to signal there was a checkpoint. Calipari's death angered Italians, already largely opposed to the war in Iraq, and the agent was mourned as a national hero. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #14 Sounds like it's time to close Aviano AB, Camp Darby, the homeporting of US naval forces in Naples, and whatever else we have going in this "NATO" country. Such a shame - I LIKED Camp Darby. Oh, well... |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-02-07 17:18 |
| #13 If I remember correctly, the whole incident was caught on tape by a Predator. (Yes, there were extra precautions in place for Negroponte's visit). This took place on Route Irish, one of the main ambush/kidnapping roads in Iraq at the time. If memory serves me the film backs up the American claim that the car approached the roadblock at over 100 KPM (over 62 MPH) and didn't slow down as it approached. Even Iraqis know that's suicide. Al |
| Posted by: Frozen Al 2007-02-07 13:59 |
| #12 Again, the Administration has dropped the ball in not jawboning our "allies" here. And thank God, we didn't sign on the the World |
| Posted by: doc 2007-02-07 13:55 |
| #11 The Italian agents - all in country unannounced if I remember correctly - should all be tried for threatening the Coalition roadblock. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-02-07 12:17 |
| #10 I wonder if the Italians (and the Spanish for that matter) are embarrassed that their legal system is being used this way. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2007-02-07 11:35 |
| #9 Boy howdy I'm in total suspense as to how the 'trial' is going to turn out ... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2007-02-07 10:27 |
| #8 I've been to Italy, I'd forgotten about the driving, "driving Italian" is in itself a death sentence, most of the cars I saw had dents. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-02-07 10:26 |
| #7 I wonder if in the end it will be determined that Mr. Calipari was killed for "driving Italian" in another country? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-02-07 10:17 |
| #6 "This looks to me like the first step on a long road toward truth and justice, and I hope justice will come in the end," said a visibly emotional Rosa Calipari, the agent's widow. Here's some bloody "truth and justice" Ms. Calipari. Your phueching husband was on a an extremely dangerous mission in a war zone and he fowled it up. People actually become dead over here on a daily basis. The key to the long term benefit program and Italian socialist retirement is paying attention to roadblocks, soldiers with weapons, minding their hand signals and instructions and staying alive. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2007-02-07 10:17 |
| #5 I was under the impression the roadblock he got killed at was in place as a countermeasure / protection for John Negroponte on a diplo mission . If the stupid cretins decided to run the gauntlet and approach it at high speed then expect to get zapped . no brainer , get over it Italy On a side note Sgrena , hows the collapsed lung ? I hope it hurts . |
| Posted by: MacNails 2007-02-07 10:11 |
| #4 That's ok. We can still nuke Italy in "absentia". |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-02-07 10:05 |
| #3 "This looks to me like the first step on a long road toward truth and justice, and I hope justice will come in the end," said a visibly emotional Rosa Calipari, the agent's widow. So if it comes out that hubby fucked up, what are you gonna think then, Rosa? Oh, yeah. We know that ain't gonna happen... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-02-07 10:01 |
| #2 You missed the biggest point. "trial in absentia" |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-02-07 10:00 |
| #1 Aren't we missing something, like in the 'operations in a warzone', 'numerous attempts to use car bombs', 'paying the kidnappers ransom money which would then in turn be used for more terrorism', 'not coordinating the operations with Coalition authorities for safe passage of lines because of the payoff', etc. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-02-07 09:55 |