Friendly Fire

The remarkable story of a journalist kidnapped in Iraq, rescued by an Italian secret service agent, and shot by U.S. forces

Middle East

By Giuliana Sgrena, Foreword by Amy Goodman

Giuliana Sgrena brings us inside the U.S. occupation of Iraq as no other reporter has. In Friendly Fire, this leading Italian journalist—whose powerful story has been featured on 60 Minutes and in other major media worldwide—describes the real story of her capture, dramatic release, and shooting in 2005.

While reporting in Iraq for the daily newspaper Il Manifesto, Sgrena was taken hostage on February 4, 2005, and held until March 4, 2005.

On the day of her release, as she was being escorted to Baghdad International Airport by Italian security, U.S. forces fired on her vehicle. The attack killed Major General Nicola Calipari, the number-two man in Italian military intelligence, as he shielded Sgrena.

Here Sgrena describes her experience as a hostage and provides unique insights into the situation of Iraq under occupation, exposing U.S. war crimes there.

In her foreword to this edition, radio and television host and best-selling author Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! situates the attack on Sgrena in the context of the increased targeting of journalists in conflict zones around the world. Friendly Fire also includes a new preface by Giuliana Sgrena.

About the author

Giuliana Sgrena continues to report for Il Manifesto newspaper. She bravely spoke out following her ordeal, asking not for vengeance but simply for the truth about the mysterious circumstances surrounding her rescuer’s shooting.

Amy Goodman is an award-winning investigative journalist and syndicated columnist, author and the host of Democracy Now! airing on more than 1,000 public television and radio stations in 35 countries. Goodman is the first journalist to receive the Right Livelihood Award, widely known as the 'Alternative Nobel Prize' for "developing an innovative model of truly independent grassroots political journalism that brings to millions of people the alternative voices that are often excluded by the mainstream media." The Independent of London named Amy Goodman and Democracy Now! "an inspiration"; pulsemedia.org placed Goodman at the top of their 20 Top Global Media Figures. Goodman is the author of four New York Times bestsellers. Her latest book, Breaking the Sound Barrier, proves the power of independent journalism in the struggle for a better world. She co-authored the first three bestsellers, Standing Up to the Madness, Static, and The Exception to the Rulers, with her brother, journalist David Goodman. For more information about Amy Goodman and Democracy Now!, please visit democracynow.org.

Reviews

“Giuliana Sgrena’s work is forever curious, powerful, and brave. I salute her.”
--John Pilger

“Giuliana Sgrena is one of the great brave journalists who has consistently risked her life to report the truth.”
--Eve Ensler

“Against enormous odds, Giuliana Sgrena is a survivor—a messenger who has been shot but who has lived to tell the tale. She understands in the most personal way the fear, suffering, and courage of the victims and survivors who she covers. Sgrena has risked her life to bring us these stories. Listen to her message.”
--Amy Goodman, from the Foreword

"Friendly Fire chronicles a day in the life of war reporter. With increasing and deliberate attacks on journalists in the past decade, the world is fortunate to still have those few brave souls like Guiliana who are willing to risk it all to get us the story."
--Tala Dowlatshahi, US Representative, Reporters Without Borders