WASHINGTON, March 7 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States on Monday denied that American soldiers in Iraq deliberately targeted the freed Italian journalist when she was on her way to the Baghdad airport.

    "It's absurd to make any such suggestion, that our men and women in uniform would deliberately target innocent civilians. That's just absurd," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said, in response to the statement of the journalist, Giuliana Sgrena, that the car she was riding might have been deliberately targeted.

    McClellan said the car carrying Sgrena was traveling on one of the most dangerous roads in Iraq, to the Baghdad airport, when it was fired upon. "We regret this incident and we are going to fully investigate what exactly occurred," he said.

    Sgrena, who was kidnapped in Iraq last month, was wounded Friday when the car carrying her was shot by US forces near the Baghdad airport, and an Italian intelligence officer in the car was killed.

    Sgrena said it was possible they were targeted deliberately because the United States opposes Italy's policy of negotiating with kidnappers. Enditem