MtnBiker
Senior Member
Italy hails "hero" hostage, stands firm on troops
By Crispian Balmer
ROME, April 15 (Reuters) - An Italian hostage killed in Iraq was hailed on Thursday as a hero who in his last moments told his kidnappers defiantly: "I'm going to show you how an Italian dies."
Fabrizio Quattrocchi, one of four Italian security guards abducted earlier this week, was shot dead on Wednesday after Italy refused to bow to the kidnappers' demands that it withdraw its troops from Iraq.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said a video recording of the killing showed that Quattrocchi 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," he added.
Frattini came under attack from some quarters for breaking the news of Quattrocchi's death during a live television chat show on Wednesday night and the distraught families of the remaining three hostages urged talks with the abductors.
After meeting his top ministers to discuss the crisis, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi issued a statement saying the government "would work in all practicable ways for the immediate and unconditional release" of the remaining hostages.
Defence Minister Antonio Martino said Italy would keep its forces in Iraq. "It wouldn't just be vile, it would also damage us if we pulled out with the job half done. We cannot give in," he told reporters.Full Story
By Crispian Balmer
ROME, April 15 (Reuters) - An Italian hostage killed in Iraq was hailed on Thursday as a hero who in his last moments told his kidnappers defiantly: "I'm going to show you how an Italian dies."
Fabrizio Quattrocchi, one of four Italian security guards abducted earlier this week, was shot dead on Wednesday after Italy refused to bow to the kidnappers' demands that it withdraw its troops from Iraq.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said a video recording of the killing showed that Quattrocchi 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," he added.
Frattini came under attack from some quarters for breaking the news of Quattrocchi's death during a live television chat show on Wednesday night and the distraught families of the remaining three hostages urged talks with the abductors.
After meeting his top ministers to discuss the crisis, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi issued a statement saying the government "would work in all practicable ways for the immediate and unconditional release" of the remaining hostages.
Defence Minister Antonio Martino said Italy would keep its forces in Iraq. "It wouldn't just be vile, it would also damage us if we pulled out with the job half done. We cannot give in," he told reporters.Full Story
