Un Italiano Morto in Iraq

An Italian carabiniere, Alessandro Pibiri, 25, from Sardegna, was killed this morning approximately 100 km from Nassiriya. A bomb, remotely detonated, jarred an Italian military convoy killing Pibiri, and wounding four other carabinieri, one of them seriously.

The attack comes three days after Prodi's declaration: "Soon, with Great Britain, we will finalize the formalities of our plan to bring home the troops." The Italian Army is working under the British Army in southern Iraq.

During April's election, Prodi's popularity ballooned as he reiterated his anti-war stance. Italy's Defense Minister, Arturo Parisi, said today, however, that "our already strong worry (about the troops) has worsened, but it doesn't change anything in regard to the plans and programs of re-entry that we are currently discussing with the Iraqi government and the Allies.