ROME - The United States was only partially informed about an Italian intelligence operation to free journalist Giuliana Sgrena in Iraq, an Italian general said in a report quoted by La Repubblica newspaper Friday.
General Mario Marioli, deputy commander of the US-led international coalition force in Iraq, had been asked to prepare an unspecified mission by Italy's top intelligence officer in Iraq, Nicola Calipari, said the paper.
The agent died under US fire near Baghdad airport on March 4, as he was escorting the freed Italian correspondent to safety.
Quoting from a report by Marioli to magistrates investigating Calipari's death, La Repubblica said the general provided documents for the intelligence officer and his aide to move around freely.
But he did not know details of their operation in Baghdad, according to his report.
Italian military intelligence informed him late on March 4 that Calipari and his aide would return to Baghdad airport in the company of "an Italian national without a coalition and airport pass".
It was not clear if Marioli knew at this stage that Sgrena was the unidentified passenger.
Marioli was tasked with asking US military officials to grant access to the airport to an Italian national traveling with two officials already identified earlier in the day, said La Repubblica.
"This was an exchange of information between the military," said the paper. "Marioli had no contact with US intelligence officers."
"The US chain of command had only bits of information.... According to his report General Marioli could not give the Americans the make (a Toyota Corolla), the color (light grey), or the Iraqi license plate," said La Repubblica quoting from the report.
"He could not do so because he didn't know and because any problem seemed to be resolved after the main checkpoint had been notified," it added.
The car carrying Sgrena and the Italian agents ran into a hail of gunfire by a US patrol around 700 meters (yards) from Baghdad airport, killing Calipari and wounding Sgrena and the other agent.
The patrol had reportedly been tasked with securing the passage of US Ambassador to Iraq John Negroponte.
03/11/2005 13:19 GMT