conquistador

ROME (AFP) - An Italian policeman killed in an attack in Iraq (news - web
sites) last November witnessed abuse of Iraqi prisoners, his wife told
public television, saying he told her detainees were "treated worse than
cockroaches".
"My husband saw a prison, a horrible place, where detainees were imprisoned
naked," said Pina Bruno.


Her husband, Massimiliano Bruno, was killed in a suicide bombing on a base
of the Italian contingent in southern Nasiriyah, the worst assault on
Italian troops since World War II, which left 19 Italians and nine Iraqis
dead.


"Massimiliano was shocked by what he saw," she told Rai television, without
specifying the location or the nationality of the troops allegedly involved.
"The Italians were coming to take Iraqi prisoners and told them: 'If you
behave yourself, we'll get you out of here, we'll get you to work for us'."


She said: "Massimiliano told me: 'If I tell what I saw, no one will believe
me. These people are treated worse than cockroaches'."


"Massimiliano explained to me that someone communicated what had been seen,
what was happening... and that was conveyed to Italy. It's absurd to say
they didn't know anything."


Immediately after the interview, the defense ministry issued a statement
denying "having been informed by any source whatsoever of treatment of
prisoners contrary to international humanitarian law."


Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Monday said he was upset over
the "humiliation and suffering inflicted by some American soldiers on some
Iraqi prisoners," adding that he had not been informed of the torture.


The center-left opposition late Tuesday called on the government to inform
parliament about what it knew about the scandal.


"I hope that the government will not regret having said that it was not
informed about the torture," said opposition leader Francesco Rutelli, a
former Rome mayor.


Defense Minister Antonio Martino, who met with Berlusconi late Tuesday, is
to answer questions in parliament on Wednesday.


Millions of Italians had taken to the streets last year to protest at the
US-led war in Iraq which was backed by Berlusconi's center-right government.


Berlusconi is heading to Washington on May 19, shortly before US President
George W. Bush (news - web sites) visits Italy in June to celebrate the 60th
anniversary of the liberation of Rome from the Nazis during World War II.


Italian opposition leaders called on Monday for Bush's visit to be cancelled
as a protest against the prison scandal.


If the visit goes ahead, the US president can expect to be greeted by mass
demonstrations organised by an alliance of anti-globalisation groups, the
Greens and the Communists.


Italy has 3,000 troops serving with the occupation forces in Iraq, third in
size only to the United States and Britain, whose governments are scrambling
to contain the firestorm over the prisoner abuse.