Italian communist reporter Giuliana Sgrena now has apparently admitted that her car was swerving around cement blocks when they were fired upon “with no warning.” (Hat tip: Nancy.)

The Italians say the car was swerving around cement blocks in the road when a bright light went on and, with no warning, the car was pummeled with automatic weapons fire for 10 to 15 seconds. U.S. military officials say troops made hand and arm signals, flashed white lights and fired warning shots to no avail.

U.S. military officials insist American checkpoints are well-marked and generally consist of a serpentine route through concrete barriers if permanent, or concertina wire if temporary.

Anyone passing through is expected to slow their vehicle to a crawl and show identification, even U.S. troops.

And it is now becoming quite clear that the Italians were trying to pull off a covert operation without informing the US what was going on: US kept in the dark about Italian rescue plan.

Rome - American officials in Iraq were told that an Italian intelligence officer was there to free a hostage - but only at the very last minute, shortly before United States troops opened fire on their vehicle, killing the officer and wounding the woman, Italian media reported on Sunday.

Several Italian dailies cited a report now in the hands of Rome prosecutors by Major General Mario Marioli, an Italian who is the coalition forces’ second-in-command.

In the report, Marioli said US authorities were aware that the agent, Nicola Calipari, and another officer were in Iraq, but only he knew why. He said Calipari had told him not to tell the Americans they were there to collect a hostage.