Iraq hostage died like hero, Italy says

Reuters ^ | 4/15/04

[kattracks]

ROME, April 15 (Reuters) - An Italian hostage shot dead in Iraq tried to look his killers in the eye and died like a hero, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said on Thursday.

Frattini told reporters that Fabrizio Quattrocchi, one of four Italian security guards abducted outside Baghdad, was hooded when his kidnappers put a gun to his head.

"When the murderers were pointing a pistol at him, this man tried to take off his hood and shouted: 'Now I'm going to show you how an Italian dies'. And they killed him," Frattini said.

"He died a hero."

Quattrocchi's kidnappers handed over a tape of the killing to the Arab news channel al Jazeera which refused to broadcast the scene, saying it was too bloody. However, an Italian diplomat viewed the tape and relayed the details to Rome.

Quattrocchi left for Iraq in November to work as a security guard. The 36-year-old, who was specially trained to guard oil pipelines, was earning up to 10,000 euros ($12,500) a month and saving to buy a house with his fiancee, Italian media said.

But until his kidnapping, his mother thought the former baker was working in Kosovo.

His kidnappers, a previously unheard of group, threatened to kill the other three Italian hostages if Italy does not withdraw its troops from Iraq and its support from the United States.

Rome has rejected bowing to such pressure.

[ConservativeMan55]

bump!

[rrrod]

i suggest we contact the Italian embassy and pass on our condolences.

[Atlantic Friend]

Now that's a very good idea.

[Glenn]

Now I'm going to show you how an Italian dies.

Impressive. How can you not be moved?

[BCrago66]

Or flowers.

[American Soldier]

"When the murderers were pointing a pistol at him, this man tried to take off his hood and shouted: 'Now I'm going to show you how an Italian dies'. And they killed him," Frattini said.

That was a man. I hope I would respond half as well as he did.

[olde north church]

Comparision to French cowardice.

[GottaLuvAkitas1]

This is so sad. I wish his family as much inner-peace as they can muster. I pray this man knew he died for a great cause and he will not be forgotten.

[eastforker]

When the murderers were pointing a pistol at him, this man tried to take off his hood and shouted: 'Now I'm going to show you how an Italian dies'. And they killed him," Frattini said. Wow ,Italian Bump.

[rrrod]

yes !

[DainBramage]

kidnappers handed over a tape of the killing to the Arab news channel al Jazeera which refused to broadcast the scene, saying it was too bloody.

"Kill another one...dis time make little less blood..."

[ConservativeMan55]

Truth Bump!

[kassie]

God rest his soul.

[eastforker]

This will strengthen Italian resolve for the fight against terrorism.

[Shane]

It's long past the time for the political correctness to stop and to let our military do it's job. I guess we have learned nothing from Vietnam, when the Washington politic ans attempted to "manage" the war and tied the hands of our brave men who were on the front lines of the battle. it is one thing to ask our young men and women to risk their lives to advance freedom, its quite another thing to put them in harms way and then prevent them from performing the job that they were originally asked to do.

[rrrod]

"That was a man. I hope I would respond half as well as he did." well said.

[GottaLuvAkitas1]

"This will strengthen Italian resolve for the fight against terrorism."

Yup, not the reaction the terrorists were banking on.

[mware]

God Bless the family of this brave man. May they find as much courage in living as he did in dying.

[eastforker]

I bet he said it in Italian and the thugs had no idea what he said or they would have edited it out.