Nicola Calipari's coffin arrives at Ciampino airport in Rome. Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena fanned a growing diplomatic rift between Rome and Washington by suggesting US soldiers deliberately tried to target her in an gunfight that killed Calipari. (Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

Mourners applaud as Nicola Calipari's coffin is borne into the Saint Mary of the Angels basilica. A funeral service with full military honours has begun for the Italian secret service agent slain by US gunfire as he rescued a hostage in Iraq.(Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

A hearse is accompanied by polices motorcycles as it carries the body of slain Italian intelligence officer Nicola Calipari from Rome's Vittoriano monument to a state funeral March 7, 2005. Italy prepared to bury on Monday secret agent Nicola Calipari, whose killing by U.S. forces in Iraq has fanned anti-American sentiment and muted joy at the release of an Italian journalist held hostage. Calipari threw his body over hostage Giuliana Sgrena, protecting her from a hail of bullets as U.S. forces opened fire on their vehicle as they approached Baghdad airport on Friday following Sgrena's release from captivity. (Photo: Xinhua/REUTERS)

    BEIJING, Mar. 7 (Xinhuanet)-- Italy paid homage on Monday to an intelligence officer --Nicola Calipari --killed in Iraq by U.S. forces, giving him a full state funeral that was tinged with anger over how he died protecting a freed Italian hostage.

    Among the mourners was Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who sent Nicola Calipari on his fatal mission to Baghdad and is struggling to reconcile his fervent pro-U.S. policies with demands for the truth from Washington over the shooting.

    Calipari has become a national hero for his selfless bravery.

    He was killed on Friday as he made the journey towards Baghdad airport with journalist Giuliana Sgrena who had been held in captive for over a month.

    Sgrena, a correspondent for the Rome-based Il Manisfesto newspaper has demanded an explanation from Washington as to why she was targeted by US troops.

    She said that she cannot accept US troops accidentally fired on her car.

    "I can't explain it, but I think that we have to explain it because it is not normal to act like this because we were not terrorists, we were just people working for the embassy or journalists."

    The US military insisted that troops fired on the speeding car after it ignored warnings to stop.

    But Sgrena recalls no warnings and said their car was traveling at a regular speed.

    The shooting has increased anti-American sentiment in Italy where there is strong opposition to the US-led war in Iraq despite Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's support for George W. Bush.

    "It is all crazy. It is the logical consequence of a situation which is completely out of control, a situation in which anybody can shoot to disarm people. It was not a mistake in communications, it was a killing."

    About 10,000 mourners filed past the flag-draped coffin bearing the body of the intelligence officer as it lay in state on Sunday and through the night.

    At the Pentagon, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has promised a thorough investigation. Enditem

    (Agencies)