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Europe

Rome judge throws out case against US soldier

2007-10-26

ROME (AFP) — A Rome judge on Thursday threw out a case against a US soldier for killing a top Italian intelligence agent in Iraq in 2005, saying Italy does not have jurisdiction to try him. Took him long enough. Specialist Mario Lozano had gone on trial in absentia in April, accused of "voluntary homicide" over the shooting of Nicola Calipari, deputy director of Italian military intelligence, near Baghdad airport in March 2005. Thousands attended Calipari's funeral in a case that strained relations between Washington and Rome, whose separate investigations into the incident came to widely differing conclusions. Calipari, who had just freed left-wing Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena from kidnappers, shielded her during the hail of gunfire unleashed on their car from a mobile checkpoint. Sgrena, who was seriously wounded, was suing for damages at the trial. The US probe exonerated Lozano, concluding that US troops were not informed that the car carrying the freed journalist was passing through. They say it was driving too fast and did not slow down when signalled. Lozano, 37, insists he merely did his duty in opening fire on the Italians' car. A New York National Guardsman, Lozano broke two years of public silence on the eve of the trial when he told the New York Post that Sgrena's vehicle was moving at speed towards his checkpoint. "If you hesitate, you come home in a box -- and I didn't want to come home in a box. I did what any soldier would do in my position," Lozano said. The US side maintains that the Italian authorities had informed the US forces of the operation to free Sgrena after a month in captivity and that there was a breakdown in their communications when the Italians' car was heading to the airport. Rome has never accepted these explanations and refused to sign a joint report, and its own investigation was signed by, among others, the pro-US then defence minister Antonio Martino. The Italians determined that the shooting was the result of an error of judgement and inexperienced soldiers patrolling the airport road and concluded that Lozano was probably frightened when he fired on the three Italians. Ballistics experts found that driver Andrea Carpani, another secret service officer, was driving at a normal speed and that US troops gave no warnings before opening fire. The Italian probe also found that there were no signposts warning of the checkpoint. Reacting to Thursday's decision, Sgrena told AFP: "I find this ruling incredible. US arrogance has won." She added: "Calipari was celebrated as a hero, and now they don't want to know what happened. This is very serious." Simone Sabattini, a lawyer for the civil plaintiffs, told AFP that Thursday's ruling would be appealed. The higher cassation court will review only the formal aspects of the proceedings. The prosecution had argued that the US military had forfeited its option of trying Lozano. "There were a lot of reasons" why Rome does not have jurisdiction, said Lozano's lawyer Alberto Biffani, who had argued that as a member of the US military, Lozano was "a person who represented an organ of the United States" and enjoyed immunity. He also cited a letter by then US secretary of state Colin Powell that was attached to a UN resolution stating that each member of the US-led coalition "has the responsibility of jurisdiction over its own forces." Prosecutor Erminio Amelio told the court last month that each coalition member had "concurrent jurisdiction" and that by opting not to try Lozano, the United States had "officially declined its potential active jurisdiction" in the case. Powell's letter to the UN Security Council was "unilateral," he added, and does not have the force of law.

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Europe

Italy denies troops withdrawal from Iraq

2006-04-22

Italian Defense Minister Antonio Martino denied Friday the news reported by an Arab newspaper on the withdrawal of his country's troops from Iraq. The information published by Asharq Al-Awsat paper is not true, he told reporters. The status of our troops in Iraq is "the same as I announced last January," he said noting that the forces' mission in Al-Nassiriya will be accomplished by the end of 2006. Our military mission will be replaced then with a civilian one that will help rebuild Iraq, Martino added. According to the agenda proposed by Berlusconi's government to the parliament, the number of Italian soldiers in Iraq will be reduced from 2600 to 1600 by mid 2006. I'm sure Prodi will have them out long before that.

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Europe

The Terrorist Threat to the Italian Elections

2006-03-24

Italy is on a state of high alert for possible terrorist attacks during the final phase of the elections campaign. Voting is scheduled to take place on April 9 and 10, and it is feared that Islamic militants may strike immediately before voting to maximize its political impact. To compound the sense of anxiety, the Bush administration has just warned that Italy should expect terrorist attacks (similar to the ones that devastated Madrid two years ago) near the elections. This follows a warning by the Italian vice president of the European Commission, Franco Frattini, calling on the EU to "increase anti-terrorism intelligence operations," as "the recent al-Qaeda threats [referring to the March 5 Ayman al-Zawahiri video] are to be taken very seriously." Frattini further warned that "al-Qaeda is ready to strike and Italy is at risk because of its solid alliance with the U.S." aka; The Great Satan Referring to the imminent terrorist threat, Italian Defense Minister Antonio Martino told the press on March 20 that "there is a risk of terrorist attacks as the election day approaches." Martino claimed that "what happened in Spain in 2004 suggests the risk exists." He then added that "if such an attack took place, no Italian citizen would ever ask for our troops to be immediately withdrawn from Iraq". This is a thinly veiled reference to Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's decision to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq following the March 2004 terrorist attacks in Madrid. Rock Solid Antonio! The same day, daily newspapers reported that Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi had issued a new warning to Italy: "Fresh riots like those which rocked Benghazi are to be expected." Qadhafi added that "terrorist attacks could be launched on Italian soil because Rome has not yet admitted its responsibility as a former colonial power and Libyans are furious over the cartoons issue". While Libyan state-sponsored terrorism is no longer a credible threat, Qadhafi's statement highlights the very real threat posed by Libyan Islamic militants both to targets within Italy and Italian interests abroad. Is Mo still pissed about the Punic Wars in the third century BC? Cartoons and Terrorism The row over the cartoons ridiculing Prophet Muhammad reached a climax in late February with the assault on the Italian Consulate in Benghazi, which claimed at least nine lives. The Libyan protesters targeted the Italian Consulate for two reasons: first, Italian politicians (in particular Roberto Calderoli of the separatist Northern League) had been making inflammatory remarks in support of the Danish cartoons; second, as a former colonial power, Italy is held in suspicion by Libyan nationalists and Islamists alike. The inflammatory remarks of Italian politicians You know, All that freedom of speech stuff. followed by Qadhafi's "warning" to Italy, which culminated in the bloody incident in Benghazi, sparked a diplomatic crisis between the two countries, diminishing bilateral relations to its lowest level in years. While this does not entail a direct terrorist threat, it does worsen Italy's already negative image to Islamic militants. Moreover, in a videotape shown by al-Jazeera on March 5, Ayman al-Zawahiri made an explicit threat against Italy, while directly addressing the inflammatory remarks of Roberto Calderoli of the Northern League. "We renew our warning to Rome and Berlusconi: If Italy won't withdraw its troops from Iraq, it will dig its own grave there," al-Zawahiri threatened. Additionally, al-Zawahiri referred to the Madrid and London attacks as the template for any terrorist assault on Italy. Furthermore, Noman Benotman, a former Libyan jihadist with extensive experience in Afghanistan and Sudan, gave an interview to Corriere della Sera on February 23, claiming that the "rage against Italy" is rising. "If Italy won't officially apologize and concretely help Libyan people socially and economically, it will be at risk of terrorist attacks, even in the long-term," Benotman warned. You can take the boy out of the Jihad but you can’t take the Jihad out of the boy. Rest at Link

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Iraq

Italy to pull out of Iraq in 2006

2006-01-20

The Italian government has announced that it will pull its troops out of Iraq by the end of the year. Defence Minister Antonio Martino's statement marked the first official confirmation of a timetable. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had recently hinted that Italy's 2,500 contingent could return home in 2006. The country's involvement in the war, which has been deeply unpopular among Italians, is likely to be a key issue in April's general election. Mr Martino said troops would be withdrawn gradually throughout the year and replaced with a civilian force. He told a parliament committee the pull-out timetable had been agreed in conjunction with coalition forces in Iraq. "The military operation Antica Babilonia [Ancient Babylon] will end its mandate gradually over the course of the year 2006 and the mission will be considered over and accomplished at the end of the year," said Mr Martino. The main opposition parties had said they would bring the troops home immediately if they won the 9 April election. Italy, a staunch ally of the Bush administration, sent about 3,000 soldiers to Iraq to help with the reconstruction in the south after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. The force has come under several attacks, the worst being in November 2003 when 19 Italians, mostly police officers, were killed in a suicide attack in Nasiriya.

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Iraq

Italy to Pull Out 300 Troops From Iraq

2005-12-16

Italy's defense minister said Thursday the country will pull 300 more troops out of Iraq in January, continuing a gradual withdrawal begun earlier this year. Antonio Martino said the reduction would bring Italian troop levels in Iraq to 2,600, in comments confirmed by his ministry. The reduction follows the pullout of an initial batch of around 10 percent, or about 300 troops, in September, Martino said. Premier Silvio Berlusconi, a strong U.S. ally, defied strong domestic opposition and sent about 3,000 troops to Iraq to help rebuild the country after the ouster of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Berlusconi's government has said any withdrawal would depend on the security situation in Iraq and be made in agreement with coalition allies and with the Iraqi government. Martino reiterated this position during talks with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld in Washington last month. Following the visit, the Defense Ministry said the "gradual withdrawal of the soldiers will not amount to an Italian abandonment of the commitments made with the allies and the Iraqi government."

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Europe

Talabani Visit Prompts Opposition Rethink On Withdrawal

2005-11-08

Rome, 8 Nov. (AKI) - A three-day visit to Italy by Iraq's president Jalal Talabani has inevitably turned the spotlight on the presence of Italian troops there, particularly after Talabani - in a letter in the daily La Stampa - said their premature withdrawal would be "a catastrophe" for his country. Talabani on Tuesday met prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and foreign minister Gianfranco Fin,i and was slated to meet the leaders of the opposition, separately, later in the day. The Italian media has emphasised how the centre-left opposition's stated stance on withdrawal seems to be undergoing modification. In another interview, Talabani said that Italians troops had done a good job in Iraq, and were free to leave whenever the country's leaders saw fit. "But deciding suddenly to pull out would only help the terrorists," he told daily La Repubblica. "Such a withdrawal would do nothing for the morale of Iraqis," he added. Italy did not take part in the US-led invasion of Iraq because of strong anti-war feeling at home, but Berlusconi sent troops after Saddam Hussein was toppled. It recently pulled out 300 of its soldiers, bringing the contingent down to just under 3,000. Italy's opposition - a fragmented coalition embracing moderate centrist as well as left wing forces - is united in wanting a troop withdrawal, but split over how and when. Last week, the secretary of the biggest opposition party, Left Democrats (DS), Massimo D'Alema, said in a radio interview: "I believe that our troops should come back home before the Italian general elections, because the Iraqi people need a different kind of input, based on solidarity and economic aid for the reconstruction." Others on the far left want that to be earlier still, while the moderates want a pull-out immediately, if they are to win next April's general election. However, the DS party leader, Piero Fassino, appears to be at the vanguard of a subtle change. Speaking on Monday at a defence seminar, he said: "If we win the elections, we will put forward a calendar for withdrawal which certainly will not happen within 24 hours". Fassino noted that 2006 will be "the year in which the passage of powers to Iraq's authorities will be speeded up. This will allow the planning of the withdrawal of troops to be discussed with the Iraqi authorities and the other countries with a military presence there. This was met with certain grumblings from the centrist Margherita (Daisy) party, whose spokesman said the opposition Union alliance had agreed to a pull-out immediately if they come to power. However, Romano Prodi, recently endorsed in US-style primaries as the leader of the opposition Union alliance, responded with assurances that there will be no repeat of the abrupt withdrawal of Spanish troops after Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero won elections in March 2004. "I will certainly not make any dramatic moves as Spain did," he said late on Monday. "If we win, we will decide a calendar for the withdrawal," he added. Another side-effect of the Talabani visit could be some form of agreement between government and the opposition on bringing troops home. "Government and opposition can converge on a plan of phased withdrawal," the defence minister Antonio Martino argued. Such a bipartisan approach would be outstanding, and some analysts say improbable, given the over-heated political climate in Italy, where the unofficial campaign for next April's polls is already in full swing. President Talabani's visit coincides with a two-day strike by Italian journalists, limiting coverage of the event.

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Iraq-Jordan

Italy Will Keep Troops in Iraq for as Long as Iraqi Government Wants

2004-11-04

Premier Silvio Berlusconi reaffirmed Thursday that Italy would keep its troops in Iraq for as long as the government there wanted them. After a meeting with interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, Berlusconi said, "Italy will stay in Iraq according to the requests that will come from a legitimate Iraqi government." Bravo! His comments came a day after Hungary said it would withdraw its 300 non-combat troops from Iraq by the end of March, undercutting President Bush's effort to hold the multinational force together. Also Thursday, the Czech parliament voted to extend the mandate of the 100 Czech troops in Iraq by two months, to Feb. 28, 2005, keeping them in the country during the elections scheduled for January. Berlusconi's center-right government sent about 3,000 troops to Iraq to help rebuild the country after the ouster of Saddam Hussein. Allawi also received encouragement from Pope John Paul II, a staunch opponent of the war, for the building of democratic institutions in Iraq, and assurances of the pontiff's "closeness to the Iraqi people, so sorely tried by the tragic sufferings of recent years." John Paul received Allawi at the Vatican and in a brief speech read by an aide said he was praying "for all the victims of terrorism and wanton violence" and for those working for the reconstruction of Iraq. The two men met privately for nearly 10 minutes. In his public remarks, the pope did not mention his opposition to the war. He called for "truly representative" democratic institutions that respect ethnic and religious diversity and said the Christian community would help build democracy. The Italian government repeatedly has said it will keep its troops in Iraq until the country is stabilized and has a legitimate democratic government. Italian Defense Minister Antonio Martino recently said coalition forces in Iraq could be "gradually" reduced after the January elections there if Iraqi troops and police can keep the country stable. Allawi said he was confident about the reconstruction of his country and the chance of holding elections due by Jan. 31. Allawi next heads to Belgium to attend a European Union summit at which EU leaders are expected to offer him a trade deal as part of efforts to aid Iraqi reconstruction. On Thursday, the EU set out details of a $40.3 million aid package to support the elections. The EU's head office said it would send three experts to Iraq to work with the United Nations and the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq. They also will help train up to 150 Iraqi election observers.

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Home Front: Politix

Kerry Insults Italian Military

2004-10-15

All Italy is abuzzing today about a Kerry gaffe aired last night on HBO in Italy. As reported in today's Corriere della Sera in Italy, Defense Minister Antonio Martino criticized John Kerry for an incredible remark that the conditions of the Iraqi Army were so bad that even the Italian Army could kick their a**es. Martino remarked that Kerry, "instead of saying what he thinks, should think about what he says." Several prominant Americans have insulted the post-WWII Italian military for no reason, including an ambassador on a tour of their navy in a skiff, who asked whether they should instead be taking a glass-bottomed boat. The Italians are very sensitive on the subject. Mind your manners, JFK. Silvio's got a pair.

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Europe

Italian authorities thwart GSPC attack on Italian embassy in Beirut

2004-09-22

A group of 10 alleged terrorists arrested by Italian and Lebanese authorities planned to blow up the Italian Embassy in Beirut in a car bomb attack, an Italian news agency and the Defence Ministry in Rome said. Plans for the attack were in an advanced phase, news agency ANSA said Tuesday. Police also seized about 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of explosives, ANSA said, citing unspecified Lebanese and Italian sources. Defence Minister Antonio Martino issued a statement to thank the Italian military intelligence service, SISMI, for the "brilliant operation carried out in Lebanon." It also thanked Lebanese and Syrian secret services for their cooperation. The statement offered no details on the operation. A Defence Ministry spokesman declined to comment. A Lebanese Foreign Ministry spokesman told The Associated Press in Beirut that he had heard the report, but had no information. Lebanese security officials could not be reached late Tuesday for comment. According to ANSA, the arrests were carried out in Lebanon. It didn't say when. The suspects, whose nationalities were not immediately clear, were alleged to be members of a Lebanese cell of the Salafist Group for Call and Combat, an extremist organization believed to have ties to Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda, ANSA said. Among those arrested, ANSA said, was a Lebanese man suspected to have had a role in an attack on a McDonald's restaurant in Beirut in April 2003, as well as in other attacks on US and British interests in the country last year. ANSA said the attack on the Italian Embassy, which is in central Beirut, was to be the first in a serious of strikes planned by the suspects against Western interests in Lebanon, including the US Embassy.

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Europe

Italy Arrest 10 in Alleged Plot

2004-09-21

Italian and Lebanese authorities have arrested 10 alleged terrorists, thwarting plans to blow up the Italian Embassy in Beirut in a car bomb attack, the Italian news agency ANSA said Tuesday. Plans for the attack were in an advanced phase, ANSA said. Police also seized about 220 pounds of explosives, the Italian news agency said. Defense Minister Antonio Martino issued a statement to thank the Italian military intelligence service, SISMI, which carried out the operation in cooperation with Libanese and Syrian authorities. According to ANSA, the arrests were carried out in Lebanon. The suspects, whose nationalities were not immediately clear, were alleged to be members of a Lebanese cell of the Salafist Group for Call and Combat, an extremist organization believed to have ties to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida, ANSA said.

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Iraq-Jordan

Italy to keep troops in Iraq

2004-04-06

Italy has no plans to scale down its forces in Iraq, Defence Minister Antonio Martino said Tuesday, as 11 Italian soldiers were reportedly wounded -- and some 15 Iraqis killed -- in clashes with supporters of Moqtada Sadr. "No, it's not even a possibility that we're contemplating," Martino told reporters as he arrived for a meeting of EU defence ministers. Yo, Tony! Way to go, pal!

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Europe

EU Willing to Take on Bosnian Peace Role

2003-10-04

EFL World Wire ROME -- European Union defense ministers on Saturday offered to take over peacekeeping in Bosnia from NATO by the middle of next year, a move that could free up U.S. troops for other hot spots. EU officials said the switch could also mean a reduction in the size of the Bosnian peace mission by about half to 6,000, though ministers said it was too early to fix a firm number of troops needed. Britain offered to lead the force, which would be the EU's most ambitious operation since it launched a joint military structure at the beginning of this year. The United States and other NATO nations would have to agree before the alliance hands over the Bosnian mission, something Washington had been reluctant to do. However, with U.S. forces stretched in Iraq and Afghanistan, European officials said they did not expect Washington to object. "My understanding is that the Pentagon should be favorable to a reduction of its commitments in the Balkans because they already have so much going on," Italian Defense Minister Antonio Martino told a news conference. Snip Emphasizing the bloc's expanding defense ambitions, Martino said there was wide backing for a French plan for the EU to set up a force of paramilitary police units -- similar to the French gendarmerie or Italy's carabinieri -- able to support military peacekeepers. Such forces are seen as increasingly needed to back nation-building efforts in states emerging from civil strive to help local authorities restore order and fight crime. I was pretty down on the plan to have a military arm of the EU. Looks like I was in error. The idea of being able to bring in gendermerie, carabinieri and/or guadia civille looks like a real plus.

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