BAGHDAD, Iraq -The temporary road checkpoint where American troops mistakenly killed an Italian intelligence agent last week was set up to provide extra security for U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte, a U.S. Embassy official said yesterday.
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld assured his Italian counterpart that the inquiry into the death of Nicola Calipari would clearly determine what happened, Italy's government said.
Calipari died last Friday when troops at the checkpoint fired at an approaching car that was carrying Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena, who had just been freed by Iraqi kidnappers.
The mobile patrol was there to enhance security because Ambassador Negroponte was expected through
embassy spokesman Robert Callahan said, confirming a report that first appeared in the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
It was not known if Negroponte, who was nominated last month by President Bush to be the new director of national intelligence, passed through the checkpoint before the shooting. Senior U.S. officials usually travel by helicopter to avoid attacks in Iraq, but methods are varied so as not to be predictable.
While agreeing the shooting was an accident, U.S. and Italian officials have disagreed about several aspects of the incident, including whether U.S. authorities were notified of the trip, how fast the car was traveling and whether the car ignored signals to halt.
The Italian Defense Ministry said Rumsfeld talked to Defense Minister Antonio Martino by telephone yesterday evening and promised a thorough investigation. Rumsfeld said the probe would remove any shade of doubt and pinpoint any responsibility the ministry said.
Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, made similar assurances to Italian military commanders in a separate call, the ministry added.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said that despite differing versions of what happened, I'm sure that in a very short time every aspect of this will be clarified.
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