Re: Ransom
snip....
Meanwhile, more and more details of the tragic occurrence have become known: According to the "Repubblica", the Italian secret police Sismi had been working with two teams for Sgrena's release. In Baghdad, Calipari , who was later shot, had contact with the kidnappers. The second team stood ready with ransom money in an neighboring Arabian state, Kuweit or Saudi Arabia. Yesterday morning, the message came through that Giuliana Sgrena had been taken to the capital from her hiding place near Ramadi, 200 kilometers west of Baghdad. After quite a number of delays the exchange finally took place near a mosque in the afternoon around 5 p.m.. Because it already growing dark, Calipari decided to go to the airport immediately.
It still isn't known up to now whether a second safety vehicle was set aside for the secret service personnel. It is unclear, as well, whether or not the Italians informed the American Centcom headquarters of their arrival at the airport, or whether this message was passed on by the Americans to the checkpoints in time. The U.S. soldiers at the checkpoint in front of the airport had just arrived in Iraq. They were newcomers, who still had an attack on the same checkpoint the week before on their minds.
So, three unfortunate factors seem to have met: Darkness, miscommunication and the inexperience of the control positions. The checkpoint was approximately a kilometer from the airport area after a curve.
The road to the airport in Baghdad is considered as the most dangerous street in Iraq. Almost daily there are incidents and attacks by snipers, who aim at drivers and allied soldiers. The U.S. soldiers at the checkpoints on this road are correspondingly nervous.
The responsible 3rd U.S. infantry division in Baghdad is offering an explanation now, too: The car in which Sgrena was to be taken to the airport by Italian special agents, was driving towards the roadblock at high speed and had repeatedly ignored calls to slow down, they explain. "U.S. soldiers have killed a civilian and injured two others when (the driver of) their car, driving at high speed, refused to stop at a checkpoint, it says further.
At first, the driver had been asked to stop by signals and flashing lights. The soldiers then fired off warning shots, and only after that aimed at the engine block of the car.
....snip
"Spiegel-Online"....Tödliche Fehler auf Iraks gefährlichster Straße
Translated by longjack
The Italian secret police were delivering ransom? Okaaaaaay....
I have no sympathy for that kind of stupidity.