Rome military prosecutors have
wrapped up an aggravated fraud conspiracy investigation against
six Italian military officers in the rental of three armoured
vehicles from an Afghan company headed by a man with
international terrorist connections, ANSA learned Monday.
The armour was lighter than it was supposed to be, placing
the lives of military personnel at risk, prosecutors said.
The investigation was sparked by the apparent suicide of
37-year-old Captain Marco Callegaro, who was found shot dead on
the night between July 24 and 25, 2010, in his office at Kabul
Airport.
The Rovigo native was married with two children, and had
just been on leave in Italy.
The incident was ruled a suicide, although the officer's
family raised doubts at to that version of events. The ensuing
investigation uncovered alleged wrongdoing by the six officers,
who faked the certificates on three vehicles rented from an
Afghan company and destined for the senior Italian mission
officer.
Callegaro worked in the administrative office that greenlit a
100,000-euro payment for the rental of the three vehicles from
March 1 to July 30, 2010. This resulted in 35,000 euros of
illicit profits for the Afghan company, prosecutors say.
Military police took statements from hundreds of military
personnel of all ranks in both Afghanistan and Italy in the
course of the investigation. A total of 28 military vehicles
were seized from the Italian contingent stationed in Herat,
along with four containers' worth of administrative and
accounting paperwork.
Investigation sources say they uncovered a "disconcerting
picture of reiterated negotiations with an Afghan company"
headed by a man with connections to international terrorism, and
to whom bids were steered illicitly.
Military prosecutors are ready to indict the six officers for
conspiracy in aggravated military fraud.
It will be up to civilian prosecutors to investigate on
possible charges of corruption and on the circumstances of
Callegaro's death.
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