Surprise that US soldiers have been cleared in the fatal shooting of Nicola Calipari

Reporters Without Borders said today it was "very surprised" by a US army announcement that an investigation has cleared US soldiers of any blame in the 4 March shooting in Baghdad that left Italian secret service agent Nicola Calipari dead and Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena wounded. "We are not convinced that everything possible has been done to establish what happened in this tragedy or to determine the responsibility of all those involved, and we reiterate our appeal for an independent international enquiry by US and Italian authorities," the press freedom organization said. Reporters Without Borders also pointed out that the two Italian members of the commission of enquiry disagreed with its findings on two points and are planning explain their reservations shortly. "We will see then what official reaction comes from the Italian government, which has a right to demand sanctions," it said. Sgrena today described the US army announcement as a "slap in the face for the Italian government." According to the US investigators, "the procedures were followed to the letter" by the US soldiers involved. But Sgrena insisted again that the car in which she and Calipari were travelling received "no warning signal... no warning shot" and that "the searchlight was turned on after the shots were fired." The car that was supposed to be carrying former hostage Sgrena to safety immediately after her release by her captors came under fire from US soldiers as it approached a checkpoint near the airport. The shots wounded Sgrena in the shoulder and killed Calipari, who was in charge of protecting her. The day following the shooting, Reporters Without Borders called on the United Nations to conduct a thorough investigation into the blunder. There has never been any response. The US high command insisted immediately after the event that procedures were followed and that the soldiers issued a warning to the car before beginning to fire. At the same time, a Pentagon official announced that the incident would be investigated.