Posted on 03/08/2005 10:13:31 AM PST by Crackingham
Gianfranco Fini, the Italian Foreign Minister, increased a diplomatic row with the United States today by demanding that Washington identify and punish those responsible for the shooting of Rome’s top intelligence agent in Iraq. Signor Fini dismissed the American version that a lack of communication was responsible for the death of Nicola Calipari, who died in a hail of gunfire from US troops as he escorted a freed Italian hostage to Baghdad airport on Friday. Signor Calipari had made "all the necessary contacts" with US authorities in Baghdad, the minister said.
In his account to parliament of the shooting, which has sparked a diplomatic row with the US, Signor Fini said: "The reconstruction of the event does not coincide fully with what the American authorities have told us."
He said that the car carrying Signor Calipari and the freed hostage, Guiliana Sgrena, to freedom was not speeding and was not ordered to stop by US troops, as American officials have indicated. He also dismissed as "groundless" a suggestion from Signora Sgrena, the hostage in question, that American forces had ambushed the car because they disagreed with Italy's policy of paying the ransom demands of Iraqi kidnappers.
Italy reportedly paid more than $6 million (£3.1 million) for Signora Sgrena's release, which was negotiated by Signor Calipari himself.
"The car was travelling at a velocity that couldn't have been more than 40 kilometres (25 miles) per hour," Signor Fini said.
Rejecting the ambush claim, Signor Fini said: "It was an accident. This does not prevent - in fact it makes it a duty - for the Government to demand that light be shed on the murky issues, that responsibilities be pinpointed, and, where found, that the culprits be punished.
"We ask for truth and justice."
The minister took pains to point out, however, that Italy has an "old and empathetic friendship" with the United States, adding: "We hope that that within the next few hours this affirmed wish for loyal co-operation will yield its first major concrete result.
"We hope that this is not an opportunity to whip up political campaigns and to sow anti-American sentiment in public opinion, which certainly have no reason to exist."
I believe I've seen enough to draw a conclusion.
I'm willing to keep an open mind if more facts become available...but right now, it looks like the "journalist" should have died and not the Italian agent, and that seems to be the only "accident".
I believe it's just about time to call FoxNews with this information.
Thank you, Calpernia and Fedora!
How's that old saying go?"If You Lie Down With Dogs,You Wake Up With Fleas"?
Interesting find!
And thanks for the ping Calp!
Whaaat, and interrupt the Michael Jackson coverage?
Now I'm wondering if there's a connection between this Antiimperialista group and the recent reincarnation of the Red Brigades (the Italian search term for that appears to be "Brigatte Rosse"), which would link to Carlos' old network. Here is an interesting article in Italian (Google translation follows below the original). Beyond the groups under discussion in the previous post I've also highlighted references to Father Benjamin, another prominent character in the Italian antiwar movement; and the Situationists (aka Situationist Internationale or SI), a French-based terrorist group involved in Vietnam-era student uprisings that was linked to the US antiwar movement back then:
"Internazionale del terrore: di Massimo Introvigne" (il Giornale, 3 aprile 2004)
“La vittoria spetterà a coloro che sapranno fare il disordine, pur senza amarlo”. Questa frase di Guy Debord (1932-1994), il leader dell’Internazionale Situazionista, conclude una lettera di Moreno Pasquinelli, il portavoce del Campo Antiimperialista arrestato nell’ambito dell’inchiesta sulle cellule italiane del terrorismo turco insieme alle compagne Alessia Monteverdi e Maria Grazia Ardizzone. Nessuno è colpevole fino alla condanna definitiva, e la giustizia farà il suo corso. Fin da ora si può però rilevare il ruolo di commessi viaggiatori della “dottrina Carlos” svolto da anni dagli arrestati e dai loro amici. Il venezuelano Carlos è stato il più famigerato terrorista internazionale degli anni 1970. Convertito all’islam, teorizza ora dal carcere francese dove sconta l’ergastolo il jihad universale contro gli Stati Uniti e Israele tramite l’alleanza di tutti i tipi di terrorismo, non importa di quale matrice purché anti-americani.
La “dottrina Carlos” non è più solo teoria. Il Campo Antiimperialista ha un ruolo chiave come punto di incontro fra estremisti di matrice comunista (prevalentemente filo-cubana) e fondamentalista islamica. Il Campo è il principale sostegno dei Comitati per la Resistenza del Popolo Iracheno, e Alessia Monteverdi è la titolare del loro sito iraqlibero.net, ora posto sotto sequestro dalla Procura di Perugia. Quanto a antiimperialista.com, il sito del Campo Antiimperialista, il suo titolare è Alessandro Folghera, figura di punta dell’Associazione Italia-Cuba e fondatore del Comitato Internazionalista Arco Iris che offre la sua solidarietà a vari movimenti rivoluzionari latino-americani.
Il 24 settembre 2002 a Lucca la Ardizzone interveniva a una manifestazione di solidarietà con Batasuna, braccio politico dell’ETA messo al bando in Spagna. Già il 1° maggio 1999, la Monteverdi portava a Sri Lanka il suo saluto a una manifestazione organizzata dal JVP (Fronte Rivoluzionario del Popolo), un gruppo insurrezionalista maoista. Quando il 6 febbraio 2001 il Manifesto si permetteva di criticare le FARC (Forze Armate Rivoluzionarie Comuniste) colombiane, uno dei più pericoloso gruppi terroristici mondiali, la Ardizzone, di ritorno da una visita in Colombia, protestava energicamente con una lettera e dichiarava a tutte maiuscole che “non è così”. Infine, gli arrestati hanno ora lucrato un caloroso comunicato di solidarietà dei Comitati di Appoggio alla Resistenza per il Comunismo, formazione fra le più vicine all’ideologia delle Brigate Rosse.
Né si deve credere che la “dottrina Carlos” in salsa italiana si estenda solo al mondo di sinistra. C’è posto anche per i nazisti, purché odino l’America e Israele. Gli ospiti consueti delle manifestazioni del Campo Antiimperialista e per la “resistenza” irachena – da Moreno Pasquinelli a Miguel Martinez – scrivono, insieme all’immancabile padre Benjamin, su Il Resto del Siclo, rivista lanciata nel gennaio del 2004 dall’AAARGH (Associazione degli Anziani Amatori di Racconti di Guerra e di Olocausto), dedicata per metà a esaltare la “resistenza” irachena e per l’altra metà a sostenere che il “cosiddetto Olocausto” non si è verificato, riabilitando le tesi più estreme del revisionismo. Comunisti, nazisti, fondamentalisti islamici, terroristi: tutti insieme appassionatamente, sotto il segno della “dottrina Carlos” e di un progetto di distruzione dell’America e dell’Occidente. Un progetto che – come dimostrano il ritrovamento di una bomba sui binari della Madrid-Siviglia in Spagna e i nuovi sospetti di terrorismo a carico di ambienti fondamentalisti marocchini annunciati dal ministro Pisanu – continua ad articolarsi attraverso molteplici piste che hanno in Italia un crocevia tra i più pericolosi.
"the Victoria will be up to those who will know to make the disorder, also without to love it". This phrase of Guy Debord (1932-1994), the leader of the International Situazionista, concludes a letter of Colored person Pasquinelli, the megaphone of the Field Anti-imperialist arrested in the within of the inquiry on the Italian cells of the Turkish terrorism with to the companions Monteverdi Alexia and Maria Ardizzone Grace. Nobody is guilty until the definitive sentence, and the justice will make its course. Beginning right now it can but to find the role of store clerks travellers of the "doctrine carried out Carlos" from years from arrests to you and from their friends. The Venezuelan Carlos has been the worst-famed international terrorist of years 1970. Converted to the Islam, teorizza hour from the French jail where it discounts the life imprisonment the jihad universal against the United States and Israel through the alliance of all the types of terrorism, it does not import which matrix provided that anti-Americans.
The "doctrine Carlos" is not single theory. The Field Anti-imperialist has a role mostly key like point of encounter between extremists of communist matrix (spin-Cuban) and fondamentalista Muslim. The Field is the main support of the Committees for the Resistance of the Iracheno People, and Monteverdi Alexia is the their holder of situated iraqlibero.net, hour place under seizure from the Power of attorney of Perugia. As far as antiimperialista.com, situated of the Field the Anti-imperialist, its holder is Alexander Folghera, figure of tip of the Italy-Cuba Association and founder of the Internazionalista Committee Iris Arc that offers its several solidarity to Latin American revolutionary movements.
The 24 september the 2002 to Lucca Ardizzone took part to one manifestation of solidarity with Batasuna, political arm of the ETA put to the ban in Spain. Already 1° May 1999, the Monteverdi carried to Sri Lanka its salute to one organized manifestation from the JVP (Forehead Revolutionary of the People), a maoista insurrezionalista group. When 6 February 2001 The Manifest allowed to criticize the FARC (Communist Revolutionary Armed Forces) Columbian, one of most dangerous world-wide terroristic groups, the Ardizzone, of return from a visit in Colombia, protested energetically with a letter and declared to all capital letters that "it is not therefore". Finally, it arrests it to you have lucrato hour a warm official notice of solidarity of the Committees of Support to the Resistance for the Comunismo, formation between nearest the ideology of the Red Brigades.
Neither it must be believed that the "doctrine Carlos" in Italian sauce only extends to the world of left. It is placed also for the nazis, provided that the America and Israel hate. The customary hosts of the manifestations of the Field Anti-imperialist and for the "resistance" irachena - from Pasquinelli Colored person to Miguel Martinez - write, with to the immancabile Benjamin father, on the Rest of the Siclo , review launch in January of the 2004 from the AAARGH (Old Association of the Amatori di Racconti di Guerra and of Holocaust), dedicated for half to exalt the "resistance" irachena and for the other half to support that the "so-called Holocaust" has not been taken place, riabilitando the more extreme theses of the revisionismo. Communists, nazis, fondamentalisti Muslims, terrorists: all entirety passionately, under the sign of the "doctrine Carlos" and of a plan of destruction of the America and the West. A plan that - as they demonstrate the ritrovamento of a bomb on the railroads of Madrid-Seville in Spain and the new suspiciones of terrorism to Moroccan fondamentalisti atmosphere cargo announces to you from the minister Pisanu - it continues to articulate itself through multiple tracks that have in Italy a crocevia between most dangerous.
I agree I've seen enough to conclude the journalist's story is highly suspect, to put it conservatively. I'm looking forward to seeing what a more detailed disclosure of the crime scene details reveals. There are some questions I'd love to see answered, such as some of the ones you've raised.
Right on.
I was heartened to hear that Italy announced, after this terrible incident, that it will not guarantee the safety of any Italian in Iraq who functions outside of military protection and cooperation with the military.
To paraphrase Yosemete Sam "oooooOOOOOOO Iiiiiii HATES Communists!"
Some charges that might apply would include accessory to kidnapping, extortion, embezzlement (what happened to the $6 million?), murder, treason. . .
LOL!
Well, well, well... kind of curious how Vincent Cannistrano's name pops up at odd moments.
FEBRUARY 2003 : (BAGHDAD, IRAQ : LEFTWING ITALIAN GROUP IPA aka "IRAQI PATRIOTIC ALLIANCE" LEADER ABDUL JABBAR KUBAISY RECONCILES WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN AND COMMITS HIS GROUP TO CONFRONTING "AMERICAN IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION") Italian police are investigating the IPA, whose members originally were Iraqi communist dissidents living in European exile. Their leader, Abdul Jabbar Kubaisy, reconciled with Saddam Hussein in Baghdad in February 2003 and committed the group "to confront American imperialist aggression." --- "Al Qaeda seeking funds in Italy," By John Phillips, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, June 12, 2004, http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040612-113949-4683r.htm
MARCH? 2003 : (AFTER HIS EARLIER RECONCILIATION WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN IN IRAQ, ABDUL JABBAR KUBAISY RETURNS TO BAGHDAD WHEN THE US INVADES) Mr. Kubaisy returned to Baghdad when the United States invaded Iraq, leaving his deputy, Awni al Kalemji, to organize anti-American propaganda, according a senior official of the Italian military intelligence organization SISMI. --- "Al Qaeda seeking funds in Italy," By John Phillips, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, June 12, 2004, http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040612-113949-4683r.htm
2003 summer : (ASSISI, ITALY : ANTI-IMPERIALIST CAMP : "IRAQI PATRIOTIC ALLIANCE" LEADER ABDUL JABBAR KUBAISY, FRANCO CARDINI, AND FATHER JEAN-MARIE BENJAMIN ARE AMONG THE ATTENDEES TAKING PART IN THE CAMP) Mr. Kalemji took part last summer in the "Anti-Imperialist Camp," a weeklong gathering of communists and other leftists including revolutionaries from Iraq, the Philippines, Nepal, the Palestinian territories and Venezuela. The camp was held in the Umbrian hill town of Assisi, home of St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), patron saint of animals and the environment and founder of the Franciscan Order of monks.
Also present were radical intellectuals such as Franco Cardini, a leading expert on medieval history who says that recent videos of Osama bin Laden are fakes distributed by the CIA to foster anti-Islamic sentiment.
Another participant was the Rev. Jean-Marie Benjamin, a French Roman Catholic priest who in February 2003 organized a visit to the Vatican by then Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz. --- "Al Qaeda seeking funds in Italy," By John Phillips, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, June 12, 2004, http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040612-113949-4683r.htm
APRIL 2004 : (IRAQ: ITALIAN CONTRACTOR IS MURDERED: AT LEAST ONE ITALIAN IS REPORTED TO BE AMONG THE MURDERERS) Italian extremists' involvement with the terrorists is thought to be so deep that, according to press reports, at least one Italian accomplice was present when an Italian contractor was killed in April in Iraq. --- "Al Qaeda seeking funds in Italy," By John Phillips, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, June 12, 2004, http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040612-113949-4683r.htm
APRIL 2004 : (ITALIAN CONTRACTOR FABRIZIO QUATTROCCHI IS MURDERED BY TERRORISTS IN IRAQ) An Internet posting this week [the week of June 12, 2004] attributed to Abdulaziz Issa Abdul-Mohsin al-Moqrin, the purported head of al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, said the man's throat was slit "as a gift for the Italian government and its leader, a little stupid and arrogant, who is proud of his hostility to Islam and of having sent troops to fight Muslims at wars like in Iraq."
Persistent reports have appeared in the Corriere della Sera newspaper and on TG5 television channel suggesting that one or more Italians might have been present as accomplices during the killing.
Gen. Niccolo Pollari, the head of the [Italian] intelligence agency SISMI, has been invited to appear before the parliamentary Committee for Control of the Secret Services to explain those reports. --- "Al Qaeda seeking funds in Italy," By John Phillips, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, June 12, 2004, http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040612-113949-4683r.htm
APRIL 1, 2004 : (PERUGIA, ITALY : MORENO PASQUINELLI IS ARRESTED DURING INTERNATIONAL CRACKDOWN ON SYPATHIZERS OF THE TURKISH-MARXIST TERROR GROUP "REVOLUTIONARY PEOPLE'S LIBERATION PARTY/FRONT DHKP/C") Moreno Pasquinelli, an activist arrested April 1 in the Umbrian city of Perugia as part of an international crackdown on sympathizers with the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C), a Turkish Marxist terror gang. He subsequently was released. "It is not our business to know what use is made of the funds," Libero quoted him as saying. "They can print newspapers or buy weapons, it is the same thing for us." --- "Al Qaeda seeking funds in Italy," By John Phillips, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, June 12, 2004, http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040612-113949-4683r.htm
(* My note: Moreno Pasquinelli would later become one of the most vociferous leaders of the [June 2004] Anti-Imperialist Camp)
JUNE 2004 : (ITALY : ANTI-IMPERIALIST CAMP ORGANIZERS ARE COLLECTING FUNDS FOR THE IRAQI PATRIOTIC ALLIANCE, A COMMUNIST GROUP OF EXILED IRAQIS WHO RECONCILED WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN) Organizers of the Anti-Imperialist Camp still are collecting funds for the IPA, asking for the equivalent of $12 from each participant, Libero reported recently. It said the contributions were going into a special bank account but did not say where they went from there.
The intelligence official confirmed the newspaper report and said the funds were being transferred to Iraq.
Other militants of the anti-imperialist movement are active as IPA supporters in Austria and Germany and make no secret that funds they gather are used to buy weapons for Iraqi guerrillas, intelligence sources said.
It is not clear why Italian authorities have tolerated the fund-raising activities. In Italy and Germany, raising funds for a foreign terrorist organization is a crime.
Among those frequently donating funds to the Iraqi resistance are militants from the hard-line Rifondazione Comunista, unreconstructed Marxists who broke away from the Italian Communist Party mainstream when it ditched orthodox communist thought and changed its name to the Democratic Party, the article said.
One of the most vociferous leaders of the [June 2004] Anti-Imperialist Camp is Moreno Pasquinelli, an activist arrested April 1 in the Umbrian city of Perugia as part of an international crackdown on sympathizers with the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C), a Turkish Marxist terror gang. He subsequently was released. "It is not our business to know what use is made of the funds," Libero quoted him as saying. "They can print newspapers or buy weapons, it is the same thing for us."
--- "Al Qaeda seeking funds in Italy," By John Phillips, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, June 12, 2004, http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040612-113949-4683r.htm
JUNE 12, 2004 : (REPORT : THERE IS A SURGE IN AL QAEDA PROPAGANDA ATTACKS ON ITALIAN PM BERLUSCONI) Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is a strong U.S. ally in the war in Iraq, where Italy has 3,000 troops. Recent al Qaeda propaganda has included a surge in attacks on Mr. Berlusconi, prompting SISMI operatives to worry the group is planning attacks on Italian interests in the hope of undermining the country's support for the Iraq war. Four Italians were taken hostage in Iraq recently, and one of them, contractor Fabrizio Quattrocchi, was killed in April. --- "Al Qaeda seeking funds in Italy," By John Phillips, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, June 12, 2004, http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040612-113949-4683r.htm
JULY 2004 : (BAGHDAD, IRAQ : PRELIMINARY COURT HEARING FOR IRAQI BAATHIST REGIME LEADERS SADDAM HUSSEIN, TARIQ AZIZ, OTHERS) Tariq Aziz, whose urbane manner distinguished him from Saddam's thuggish henchmen, has been virtually incommunicado since he gave himself up to US forces last year. The only glimpse his family have had of him was when he and 11 other ex-regime figures were arraigned with Saddam at a preliminary court hearing in Baghdad in July. As he stood in the dock he asked to be appointed a foreign lawyer and denied any personal culpability, telling the court: "I never killed anybody by any direct act." -------- "Tariq Aziz wins 'unofficial support' from Vatican ," by Colin Freeman and Bruce Johnston, The Sunday Telegraph (U.K.), 12/12/04
NOVEMBER 2004 : (FATHER BENJAMIN AND ASSOCIATES TRAVEL TO JORDAN TO MEET FORMER IRAQI PRIM MINISTER TARIQ AZIZ'S SON, ZIAD) Last month [Nov 2004] Fr Benjamin and his team travelled to the Jordanian capital of Amman to meet Aziz's son, Ziad. "Fr Benjamin knows my father well and has asked lawyers from Italy to defend him without charge," said Ziad Aziz. "He has also said he will get support from the Vatican." -------- "Tariq Aziz wins 'unofficial support' from Vatican ," by Colin Freeman and Bruce Johnston, The Sunday Telegraph (U.K.), 12/12/04
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