US military investigation clears soldiers in shooting of Nicola Calipari
{{date|April 26, 2005}}
<!--[[Image:Giuliana Sgrena.jpg|thumb|right|Screen capture of Sgrena as a hostage (Feb 2005)]]-->
An ongoing [[w:United States|US]] military investigation into the death of the [[w:Italy|Italian]] intelligence agent [[w:Nicola Calipari|Nicola Calipari]] cleared the US soldiers charged. A US official speaking anonymously stated, "The soldiers were all complying with the standard operating procedures for those checkpoints and therefore were not culpable of dereliction of duty in following their procedures," according to the Australian Special Broadcasting Service.

The Italian government has rejected the investigation's findings. Prime Minister [[w:Silvio Berlusconi|Silvio Berlusconi]] later apologised for "an unfortunate leak" that suggested the investigation was completed, and assured paliament that the investigation was not yet over.

[[w:Giuliana Sgrena|Giuliana Sgrena]], the journalist of Italian newspaper [[w:il Manifesto|''il Manifesto'']] who was injured in the shooting, replied, "Unbelievable. They say soldiers followed only their rules of engagement. But if shooting on a machine that is moving, while USA were informed about it, is following rules of engagement, we must ask ourself what kind of rules they are." For Sgrena now "it's important that Italian Magistracy goes on. But all may suppose that its job will not be so easy".

The report was delayed so that disputes might be solved between the two governments. These disputes included disagreements on how fast the car was going as it approached the checkpoint and if US soldiers knew that the car and passengers would be passing through on that day. Italian officials who participated in the investigation are said to have disagreed with its findings.

US soldiers insisted that the car carrying Sgrena and Calipari to the [[w:Baghdad|Baghdad]] airport was traveling at a high speed and failed to heed warnings to stop. The Italian driver of the car denies he was speeding or that soldiers gave a warning. "It's enough to see the car," Sgrena wrote in ''il Manifesto''. "The front windshield is intact, while the side windows and the one behind are shattered."

=== See also ===
*[http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Kidnapped_Italian_journalist_refutes_American_government_claims Kidnapped Italian journalist refutes American government claims] ''Wikinews'' March 25, 2005

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1586071,00.html
|title= Italian hostage outraged at 'clearing' of US soldiers |author= Philippe Naughton|pub= Times Online U.K.|date=April 26, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4485839.stm |title= Papers reject Calipari death finding |author= BBC Monitoring|pub= BBC NEWS | Europe |date=April 26, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www9.sbs.com.au/theworldnews/region.php?id=110340&region=4
|title=Calipari shooters cleared
|pub=Special Broadcasting Service
|author=World News
|date=April 26, 2005}}
*{{source|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4485429.stm
 |title= Italian hostage blasts US report |author=BBC.com |pub= BBC NEWS | Americas |date=April 26, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2005/04/25/italy-iraq050425.html
|title=U.S. soldiers to be cleared in Italian's death
|pub=CBC News
|author=CBC News
|date=April 26, 2005}}
*[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/26/iraq/main690935.shtml CBS News | US, Italy At Odds Over Shooting] April 26, 2005 10:30:09
*[http://www.plenglish.com/Article.asp?ID=%7B3EDF9849-313C-4E95-A881-5B46153E55FE%7D&language=ENItalian Opposition and Hostage Slam US Report on Iraq Killing]''Prensa Latina'' April 26, 2005
*{{source|url=http://www.repubblica.it/2005/c/sezioni/esteri/niccal/sgrena/sgrena.html
|title=Sgrena: «Uno schiaffo inaccettabile, i giudici vadano avanti»
|pub=la Repubblica
|author=la Repubblica
|date=April 26, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/F30E85D2-7713-4C5C-A9D8-9941E9380970.htm
|title=Berlusconi: US-Italy inquiry not done
|pub=Aljazeera
|author=Agencies
|date=April 27, 2005}}

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[[it:USA, soldati americani assolti per l'uccisione di Nicola Calipari]]
An ongoing US military investigation into the death of the Italian intelligence agent Nicola Calipari cleared the US soldiers charged. A US official speaking anonymously stated, "The soldiers were all complying with the standard operating procedures for those checkpoints and therefore were not culpable of dereliction of duty in following their procedures," according to the Australian Special Broadcasting Service.

The Italian government has rejected the investigation's findings. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi later apologised for "an unfortunate leak" that suggested the investigation was completed, and assured paliament that the investigation was not yet over.

Giuliana Sgrena, the journalist of Italian newspaper il Manifesto who was injured in the shooting, replied, "Unbelievable. They say soldiers followed only their rules of engagement. But if shooting on a machine that is moving, while USA were informed about it, is following rules of engagement, we must ask ourself what kind of rules they are." For Sgrena now "it's important that Italian Magistracy goes on. But all may suppose that its job will not be so easy".

The report was delayed so that disputes might be solved between the two governments. These disputes included disagreements on how fast the car was going as it approached the checkpoint and if US soldiers knew that the car and passengers would be passing through on that day. Italian officials who participated in the investigation are said to have disagreed with its findings.

US soldiers insisted that the car carrying Sgrena and Calipari to the Baghdad airport was traveling at a high speed and failed to heed warnings to stop. The Italian driver of the car denies he was speeding or that soldiers gave a warning. "It's enough to see the car," Sgrena wrote in il Manifesto. "The front windshield is intact, while the side windows and the one behind are shattered."
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