The Italian government may have clinched a deal with the abductors of three Italian nationals in Iraq, reports Samia Nkrumah from Rome The three Italian security guards who were held in Iraq for two months were released on 8 June. Upon their arrival at Rome's Ciampino Airport, they were met by a host of Italian dignitaries, including Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and Defence Minister Antonio Martino. Since their return, however, a number of unanswered questions over their liberation have emerged. Many Italians believe that money was paid in exchange for the hostages' release, despite repeated official denials and claims that their release was secured by a military operation conducted by United States-led coalition forces. Still, several dailies -- mainly opposition papers -- have been quick to point out certain indications that a payment could indeed have been made. Since May, the humanitarian agency Emergency had been involved in talks to free the Italians. At the end of last month, Gino Strada, head of Emergency, announced that the hostages' release was almost concluded after someone proposed to pay $9 million for their release. In an interview with La Repubblica daily after the hostages' release, Strada repeated his claim that a $9 million ransom was requested and paid. " I don't know who paid, but I know the name of the mediator: Salih Mutlak," said Strada, who believes that the hostages were then moved from Ramadi and consigned to the American military. This confidence seemed to have been echoed by the government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, which issued statements saying that the hostages were not in any danger and that their release was imminent. Another doubt concerns the Web site which issued the claim that the hostages would be eliminated, a claim that was made on the same day of the hostages' release. The Web site belonged to Al-Ansar Al-Islamiyah, and not to Ansar Al-Islam -- the group that claimed responsibility for the decapitation of the American Nick Berg. But the group, which made the threat to eliminate the Italian hostages was Al-Quds Brigades, according to the claim. No one has established the relationship between Al-Quds Brigades, Ansar Al-Islam and the Green Brigades -- the group that held the Italians for more than two months. Prosecutors are now interrogating Maurizio Agliana, Umberto Cupertino and Salvatore Stefio, the three released hostages. The three men, who were all working for an American security company, could have been in breach of Italian law, which forbids Italians to accept jobs involving the use of weapons outside their country. The timing of the hostages' liberation could not have come at a better time for the Italian government, what with the upcoming European parliamentary elections. Opposition parties were quick to criticise the government for using the release of the hostages as an electoral ploy.
