Italians mourn for agent killed by US troops in Iraq

The Italian intelligence officer who sacrificed his own life to save the hostage Giuliana Sgrena was given a state funeral in Rome on Monday, attended by the highest state authorities, including President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Nicola Calipari was killed last Friday in Iraq when American troops opened fire on the car he was using to bring journalist Giuliana Sgrena to Baghdad airport for a flight back to Italy after one month in kidnappers hands.

US military sources claimed the troops opened fire because the car was racing towards a checkpoint and did not obey repeated signals to stop.

However, both Sgrena, a reporter for the left-wing daily Il Manifesto, and another SISMI agent in the car later told Italian investigators that they were not speeding, there was no checkpointand no warning was made before a spotlight was beamed on the car which was immediately hit with a hail of gunfire.

Thousands of people packed the Santa Maria degli Angeli church where the funeral was held and even more gathered in the central Piazza della Repubblica Square outside.

In his sermon, Father Angelo Bagnasco observed that Calipari's "generosity reached an apex by donating his life to save another. His sacrifice will never be forgotten."

Cabinet Secretary Gianni Letta, Berlusconi's right hand, spoke on behalf of the government and recalled how Calipari "inspired confidence and security" and his sacrifice "has restored confidence in Italy, given Italians a sense of nation."

After the funeral, Calipari coffin was carried out to the applause of the thousands of citizens and members of the press media who did not find room in the church.

He was then taken to Rome's monumental Verano Cemetery.

Source: Xinhua