In Italy, a U.S. Army specialist goes on trial in absentia today for shooting dead Italian secret service agent Nicola Calipari. Calipari was killed in Iraq two years ago shortly after he helped free the kidnapped journalist Giuliana Sgrena. The United States has insisted that the NY Army National Guardsman, Mario Lozano, followed the rules of engagement and shot at the car carrying the Italians because it was speeding toward the checkpoint. Italian ballistics experts concluded that the car was driving at a normal speed and that the U.S. unit gave no warnings before opening fire. Giuliana Sgrena was asked on Monday about her feelings on the opening of the trial.

Giuliana Sgrena: “It is a mixture of anguish and of hope. Of course, as I wanted this trial, I am very happy that now it will start. But of course, for me it means to go back to two years ago and what happened two years ago. And so it is very painful for me to think of these things and the details, because at the trial we need to go into details, so it is very painful for me. But we have to face the trial because it is a very important step.”

Last week Mario Lozano broke two years of public silence and defended the shooting. In an interview with the New York Post, he said, “If you hesitate, you come home in a box — and I didn’t want to come home in a box. I did what any soldier would do in my position.” He went on to say, “You have a warning line, you have a danger line, and you have a kill line. Anyone inside 100 meters is already in the danger zone … and you’ve got to take them out.”