Italians Stonewalling Iraqi Sgrena "Abduction" Investigation

The New York Times reports that Italian intelligence agents have been obstructing Iraqi investigations of communist Giuliana Sgrena's alleged kidnapping ever since they opened negotiations with the "kidnappers".

BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 15 - Iraqi investigators who are trying to find the kidnappers of the Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena say their work has been stymied by a lack of cooperation from the Italian intelligence services that won her release exactly a month after she was abducted on Feb. 4.

Even after her release, Italian officials have refused to share information with the Iraqis, said Col. Jabbar Anwar, chief of the major crimes unit in the sector of Baghdad that includes Gazalea, the neighborhood where she was thought to be held.

There are few reasons why the Italians would choose to obstruct the Iraqi investigation. The explanation could be that the Italians have discovered evidence that Sgrena was in collusion with her "abductors" from the beginning, and that the Italian government has been duped into contributing some $6-14 million to the terrorist cause. If Iraqi security succeeds in capturing any of the terrorists involved alive, it's possible something that the Italians want to remain buried will come out.

Via The Jawa Report.

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