Rome: The body of an Italian hostage found slain in Nigeria during a botched British-Nigerian rescue attempt arrived on Saturday in Rome, where authorities are upset they were not consulted on the effort to free him.
Franco Lamolinara's remains were flown in an Italian Air Force jet to Rome's Ciampino military airport, where officers stood at attention in a sign of respect before a hearse took them to a hospital morgue for an autopsy.
The examination could help determine just how Lamolinara and a British colleague who also perished in the rescue operation died - either at the hands of the captors, in crossfire or accidentally, by friendly fire.
Italian daily Corriere della Sera reported on Saturday the gunbattle lasted up to seven hours. It pitted British and Nigerian special forces positioned outside the compound in Sokoto, Nigeria, against the captors, allegedly linked to al-Qaida, on the inside.
Lamolinara, an engineer, was working in Nigeria when he was kidnapped in May along with British engineer Chris McManus, who was also found dead during the rescue operation. It is unclear how the men died, though British officials have said there are "indications" their captors killed them.
In the face of questions from Italy, Britain has said there wasn't time to confer on the rescue bid. Italy's president has accused Britain of an "inexplicable" failure to consult with Italian officials before the bid to free the hostage was launched.
An autopsy is also planned on McManus' body. Autopsy results could take days.
