One count of wilful murder and two of attempted murder in the context of a political crime against the Republic of Italy are the charges faced by Mario Lozano, the american soldier who, on the evening of 4 March 2005 on the road to Baghdad airport, killed Nicola Calipari, a SISMI (italian military secret service) officer, that was bringing home far-left Manifesto journalist Giuliana Sgrena, freed after a long period of captivity in the hands of Islamic terrorists. Also injured in the same incident was the driver of the Toyota Corolla used by the Italian secret service agents, Carabinieri Major Andrea Carpani.
Predictably, the Pentagon ruled out any possibility that Mario Lozano might be extradited or otherwise put at the disposal of Italian investigators for the trial over the death of SISMI officer Nicola Calipari. For the Department of Defense, the conclusions of the military probe into Nicola Calipari’s death are still valid and no further action is necessary against the soldiers at the Baghdad checkpoint. This is the official Pentagon reply to the decision by the preliminary hearing magistrate in Rome. The Department of Defense pointed out that it is the responsibility of other parts of the American government, specifically the State Department, to discuss the matter with the Italian authorities. In international cases involving American troops, the Department of Justice and State Department are responsible for assisting the soldiers. The Pentagon had never intentionally revealed the identity of the soldiers at the checkpoint where Calipari was killed on 4 March 2005 and for that reason refused to talk about Lozano’s current duties.
In the extradition request, the preliminary hearing magistrate Sante Spinaci upheld the public prosecutors’ application for the arraignment of Mario Lozano, a National Guardsman, for the wilful murder of Nicola Calipari and the attempted murder of Giuliana Sgrena and Andrea Carpani. According to the magistrates in Rome, Calipari’s death in Iraq was a “political crime” because it was directed at an Italian interest. The American soldier accused of opening fire on the car with the three Italians on board can therefore be tried in Italy, in his absence if necessary. According to the American soldier’s lawyer, there are no grounds for arraignment as the episode was a tragic accident. Before asking the preliminary hearing magistrate to acquit his client, the lawyer maintained that “Nicola Calipari and Andrea Carpani did not want a military escort because they wanted to keep for themselves all the credit for the mission, which then went wrong”.
Today, Italy is the only western country ruled by “communist” parties. They want Italy out of Afghanistan, they want Italy out of Nato, sparking concern among Italy’s traditional allies. An unprecedented letter, signed by the ambassadors from the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands and Romania, was published in the Italian press last Saturday.
“We have to stay united. We have to share the responsibility for maintaining security in Afghanistan,” the letter said. It praised Italy’s “fundamental” contribution to the peacekeeping and reconstruction effort in Afghanistan, going on to stress the critical phase that the country now faced.
Italy has some 1,900 troops in Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led ISAF peacekeeping mission there, in relatively peaceful regions but some pacifist and far-leftist elements in the Romano Prodi-led government are calling for a pullout. Italy is also in charge for the reconstruction of the afghan judiciary system.
The ambassadors’ letter urged NATO allies to “increase our contribution for reconstruction and civil developments”. D’Alema, who is also deputy premier, expressed “surprise and disapproval” over the letter.
“The public intervention by the six ambassadors lends itself to being interpreted as inopportune interference”, the former premier said. He added that decisions on the future of Italy’s contingent in Afghanistan were the “exclusive concern of the government and parliament”.
This is Italy: the country where a judge can put on trial the chief of military intelligence for the abduction of a suspected terrorist, in a true orgy of judiciary antiamericanism. A few years ago, today’s Foreign Minister, Massimo D’Alema, wrote a book titled “Un paese normale” (A Normal Country).
Actually, Italy today is on its way to become a normal People’s Republic.