Freed Hostage Wounded by U.S. Troops in Iraq

[Strengthandhonour]

ROME, (March 4) - U.S.-led coalition forces fired on a car carrying a freed Italian hostage as it approached a checkpoint in Baghdad Friday, killing someone in her car and wounding the former captive, a military spokesman said.

The hostage, journalist Giuliana Sgrena, was being treated by ''coalition force medical personnel,'' an announcement said.

The dead person is believed to be an Italian intelligence officer.

''At approximately 8:55 p.m. tonight, coalition forces assigned to the multinational force Iraq fired on a vehicle that was approaching a coalition checkpoint in Baghdad at a high rate of speed,'' it said. ''The recently freed Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena was an occupant in the vehicle and was apparently injured.''

The announcement, given to The Associated Press in Baghdad by telephone, said that details of the incident were unclear.

''It appears a second person in the automobile was killed,'' and that ''Sgrena is being treated by coalition force medical personnel.''

The announcement, read by a U.S. military spokesman, Staff Sergeant Don Dees, added that the ''incident is under investigation and additional details will be provided when they become available.''

Dees would not provide further details but said the issue was being taken ''very seriously.''

''I want to emphasize that we are investigating this, and that we will work diligently and quickly to provide details as soon as we have them,'' Dees said.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said he has asked the U.S. ambassador for an explanation.

''Given that the fire came from an American source I called in the American ambassador,'' Berlusconi told reporters. ''I believe we must have an explanation for such a serious incident, for which someone must take the responsibility.''

The shooting occurred Friday at a roadblock near the airport. Berlusconi confirmed that the former Italian hostage, journalist Giuliana Sgrena, was injured by shrapnel. She was taken to a U.S. military hospital by U.S. troops, where she had a minor operation on her left shoulder to remove a piece of shrapnel, he said.


Good job ass holes...