The report said that from Nov. 1, 2004, to March 12 there were 3,306 attacks in the Baghdad area, of which 2,400 were aimed at U.S.-led coalition forces. It did not say how many were fatal.

In that same period, there were 135 attacks along the airport highway where the Italian official was shot to death, the report said. They included 19 roadside explosions and 15 car bombs.

That information was contained in sections of the U.S. investigation report that were blacked out by U.S. military censors but inadvertently made available to computer users. Also in those sections was information about insurgent attack techniques and U.S. defensive procedures that are intended to be secret to protect U.S. lives.

The U.S. report also found no evidence that the U.S. soldiers who were operating the traffic-blocking position where the Italian was shot had been trained to operate those kinds of positions prior to arriving in Iraq last fall. They had received instruction and practice during a 10-day period prior to taking responsibility for the airport road on Feb. 15, the report said.

Sound Off...What do you think? Join the discussion.


Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.