The forensic investigation of the Toyota Corolla in which Nicola Calipari, a high ranking SISMI officer, lost his life closed yesterday with its deposition at the Rome Procura. Its conclusions contradict the US Army investigation, says il Manifesto in a full page scoop today, October 26th.

Nicola was killed by a single shot fired by Mario Lozano at the temporary Blocking Post, BP 541, set up in the night of March 4th for the passage of Ambassador Negroponte. Calipari had just freed Giuliana Sgrena, the reporter from il Manifesto, and was returning to the Baghdad airport to fly to Rome.

According to the sworn testimony of the soldiers at the checkpoint, the car was speeding at 80 kph and did not stop after warning shots were fired. According to the American version, Lozano fired at the car when it was no more than 40 to 60 meters from his position, the so-called alarm line.

The forensic investigation has established that Lozano started shooting when the car was 100 to 130 meters from the BP, where the theoretical warning line should have been clearly placed. The car’s velocity was 60 to 65 kilometres per hour when it was hit by the first projectile. It stopped within 40 to 50 meters of the BP when it was hit by the last bullet.

Nine calibre 7,62 fragments have been recovered and analyzed. Only one of the bullets hit the engine. All other shots were directed at the interior, apparently to kill the driver and passengers. The dissenting Italian report had established that it was not possible for Lozano in his position to see beyond the unmarked warning line.

This summer, investigators had tentatively concluded that there may have been two different calibres, implying that someone else had fired other than Lozano. Final conclusions exclude that hypothesis. However, ballistic experts for the victims have asked Judge Ionta for further investigation into the controversy.