Italian investigators have blamed US military authorities for failing to signal there was a checkpoint ahead on the Baghdad road where American soldiers killed an Italian agent, saying in a report that stress, inexperience and fatigue played a role in the shooting.

Italian and US officials joined veterans at a cemetery near Rome today to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, even as the two countries remained split over the killing of an Italian agent in Iraq two months ago.

Italy is expected to pick apart US conclusions on the shooting by American soldiers of an Italian agent in Baghdad, challenging a report that cleared US troops of any wrongdoing in the incident.

Premier Silvio Berlusconi won a second and final vote of confidence in parliament today, clearing the last hurdle before his new government is fully empowered to rule following a crisis that had raised the possibility of early elections.

ITALIAN opposition parties branded a report that cleared US soldiers of blame for the killing of an Italian agent in Iraq an insult and urged the government to press for a fuller investigation.

A US military investigation into the accidental shooting death of an Italian intelligence officer in Baghdad is expected to conclude that the American soldiers generally followed instructions as they fired on the agent’s approaching car, a senior US defence official said.

IRAQI politicians tried again yesterday to end a near three-month deadlock over forming a new transitional government, as the death toll from car bombings targeting police and civilians in Saddam Hussein’s hometown and Baghdad rose to 29.

Italy and the US disagree over the findings of an investigation into the accidental shooting death by US soldiers of an Italian intelligence agent in Baghdad, according to Italian news reports.

Italy is unhappy with American investigators’ plans to clear US troops of any responsibility in the killing of an Italian security agent in Iraq last month, Italian newspapers reported today.

Demanding answers and disputing Washington’s version of events, Italy’s premier said an Italian intelligence agent who was shot to death by US troops in Baghdad had informed the proper authorities he was heading to the airport with a freed hostage.

Italy’s foreign minister today accepted that US troops killed an Italian intelligence officer by accident, but disputed Washington’s version of events and demanded a comprehensive investigation.

The car carrying an Italian intelligence officer who was killed by US fire in Baghdad was not speeding and was not ordered to stop as American officials have indicated, Italy’s foreign minister said today.

US forces in Iraq, already implicated in the killing of an Italian secret agent, faced further strains with allies yesterday when Bulgaria said they had probably shot dead one of its soldiers.

Hundreds of people packed a Rome church today to pay their last respects to an Italian intelligence officer shot and killed by American troops in Iraq while escorting a former hostage to freedom.

A state funeral for an Italian intelligence officer shot and killed by American troops in Iraq while escorting an ex-hostage to freedom was due to take place today, as a steady stream of shocked Italians viewed the man’s body lying in state in Rome.

ITALIAN hostage Giuliana Sgrena, shot and wounded after being freed in Iraq claimed that US forces may have deliberately targeted her because Washington opposed Italy’s policy of dealing with kidnappers.

The Italian journalist who was wounded by American troops in Baghdad shortly after she was released by her Iraqi captors denied US allegations that the car she was in was speeding, and described how the agent who had rescued her died protecting her.

Freed hostage Giuliana Sgrena returned to Italy from Iraq on today hours after US troops fired on the car she was in, wounding her and killing an Italian intelligence officer who apparently tried to protect her.

The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has protested strongly to the US ambassador in Rome about the fatal shooting by US soldiers of an Italian security agent and the wounding of an Italian journalist who had been held hostage in Iraq.

American troops fired on a car rushing Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena to freedom after a month in captivity, killing an Italian intelligence officer who helped negotiate her release and wounding the reporter in another friendly-fire tragedy at a US checkpoint in Baghdad.