August 25, 2005

Italians Treating Wounded Terrorists

It's not that I'm against doctors treating wounded terrorists--not to do so would be a violation of their oath--it's just that after you treat the wounded terrorist you're supposed to turn them in. You will recall our extensive coverage on the two Italians who worked for A Bridge to Baghdad held hostage in Iraq. At least three groups had claimed to have been involved in the kidnapping of Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, one of which had threatened to behead the pair.

AP

Italy's Red Cross treated four Iraqi insurgents and hid them from U.S. forces in exchange for the freedom of two Italian aid workers kidnapped last year in Baghdad, an official said in an interview published Thursday.

Maurizio Scelli, the outgoing chief of the Italian Red Cross, told La Stampa newspaper that he kept the deal secret from U.S. officials, complying with "a nonnegotiable condition" imposed by Iraqi mediators who helped him secure the release of Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, who were abducted on Sept. 7 and freed Sept. 28.

"The mediators asked us to save the lives of four alleged terrorists wanted by the Americans who were wounded in combat," Scelli was quoted as saying. "We hid them and brought them to Red Cross doctors, who operated on them."

They took the wounded insurgents to a Baghdad hospital in a jeep and in an ambulance, smuggling them through two U.S. checkpoints by hiding them under blankets and boxes of medicine, Scelli reportedly said.

Via Captain Ed who notes rightly that Berlusconi owes the United States an apology and the Italian Red Cross should immediately get decertified in Iraq. Indeed.

By Rusty Shackleford, Ph.D. at 04:31 PM | |