[Mb-civic] CBC News - INJURED ITALIAN HOSTAGE BACK HOME

Sat Mar 5 07:35:17 PST 2005

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INJURED ITALIAN HOSTAGE BACK HOME
WebPosted Sat Mar  5 08:41:25 2005

 ROME---An Italian journalist held hostage in Iraq for a month &#8211;
 then wounded by U.S. forces shortly after her release &#8211; has
 returned home.

Giuliana Sgrena was helped from a small, private jet and escorted to a
waiting ambulance after arriving in Rome Saturday.

The journalist appeared to be in some pain and was walked with great
difficulty. She was taken to a military hospital where she may undergo
more surgery.

Sgrena was visited by the widow of the man who had helped negotiate her
release and then saved her life: intelligence officer Nicola Calipari.

Sgrena was hit in the shoulder by shrapnel Friday when U.S. soldiers
fired on her car as it approached a coalition checkpoint. Two other
intelligence agents in the car were also injured.

Calipari died when he shielded the journalist from the gunfire. Her
editor said he had thrown his body over Sgrena's in order to protect her.

 FROM FEB. 16, 2005: Abducted Italian reporter pleads for life in video

                      FROM FEB. 19, 2005: Italians
                     press for release of journalist

The Italians' car made no move to slow down despite signals and warning
shots, so U.S. forces fired into its engine block, the U.S. military said
in a statement.

However, Sgrena told Italian radio the car was not going
particularly fast.

U.S. President George W. Bush has said he regrets the incident.

White House press spokesman Scott McClellan said coalition forces
will co-operate with Italian authorities during an investigation into
the incident.

"We regret the loss of life," he said from Washington. "Our thoughts and
prayers are with the family of the Italian citizen."