Giuliana Sgrena

Giuliana Sgrena was born and raised in Masera, Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, a town of fewer than 1,000 people that had seen intense fighting during World War II between Italian partisans and German soldiers.

At the start of the war, she went to Baghdad to cover the bombing of that city, for which work she was awarded the title Cavaliere del Lavoro on her return to Italy.

[1] Anti-globalization activist Naomi Klein reported that Sgrena was "fully aware" of but willing to take "tremendous risks" in order to document the war.

After being rescued by Nicola Calipari and another SISMI agent, Sgrena was being transported by car to Baghdad International Airport.

However, a roadblock, put in place to protect John Negroponte's car convoy, fired on the vehicle, causing the death of Calipari, and wounding Sgrena and the other agent, Andrea Carpani.

Sgrena testified that US forces fired on the car without warning, and this incident caused strain in diplomatic relations between Italy and the United States.