ITALY: ITALIANS AND TOURISTS LET OUT HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF AFTER NEWS OF CAPTURE OF FORMER IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN
Record ID:
648685
ITALY: ITALIANS AND TOURISTS LET OUT HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF AFTER NEWS OF CAPTURE OF FORMER IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN
- Title: ITALY: ITALIANS AND TOURISTS LET OUT HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF AFTER NEWS OF CAPTURE OF FORMER IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN
- Date: 16th December 2003
- Summary: (EU) VENICE, ITALY (DECEMBER 14, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. LAS TOWER TILT DOWN SLV ST. MARK'S SQUARE; PEOPLE IN SQUARE INCLUDING TOURISTS ENGULFED IN PIGEONS (6 SHOTS) 0.27 2. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT, PIETRO LUNARDI SAYING "It is an important signal because finally it will allow a democratic government to be installed which the whole world wants to see. I hope Iraq can now have a life that is as free as the rest of the western world." 0.55 3. SLV PEOPLE WALKING; SLV GONDOLAS 1.00 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH TOURIST GARY BUTCH SAYING "Part of the terrorism was in support of Saddam Hussein and now he has been captured then it might curb the terrorism against the occupying forces. The intention is to hand over democracy to the Iraqi people and hopefully this will quicken the process up a bit." 1.24 5. SLV/MV TOURISTS IN SQUARE WITH PIGEONS 1.32 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AMERICAN TOURIST FROM TEXAS, STEVE PORTER SAYING "Well I hope what it does is bring about peace in the Middle East in a quicker way, hopefully the people that were doing things in his name will quit now and hopefully the Americans can leave and the British can leave and the Iraqis can get back to their own country and running it and things can start to get back to normal." 1.54 7. SLV TOURISTS AND PIGEONS IN SQUARE 1.58 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) VENETIAN RESIDENT GIANNI FASSOLO SAYING "The whole world has been waiting for this capture." 2.06 9. SLV SQUARE WITH TOURISTS AND PIGEONS 2.10 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 31st December 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: VENICE, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVAETAIVH6YCTM6UNBBH1U3W7HGE
- Story Text: In Venice, Italians and tourists alike have let out
a huge sigh of relief after hearing news of the capture of
Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
News of the capture of Saddam Hussein in Iraq took
over Italy's lunchtime news bulletins and gave Italians
cause for celebration on a cold Sunday afternoon (December
14).
In the lagoon city of Venice in the north of the
country, Italians animatedly discussed the news as they
took their usual Sunday passegiata or stroll.
Many Italians see the capture of Saddam Hussein by U.S.
troops as a major coup particularly after 19 Italians were
killed in Nasiriyah by a suicide bomber last month.
"It is an important signal because finally it will
allow a democratic government to be installed which the
whole world wants to see. I hope Iraq can now have a life
that is as free as the rest of the western world," said
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Pietro Lunardi.
Italy currently has approximately 3,000 troops on the
ground in Iraq. Saddam's capture has led to hope that the
situation in the country will lead to a more stable
situation and allow Italian soldiers to conduct their work
in a less dangerous environment.
Tourists also voiced the hope that Saddam's capture may
reduce terrorist activity in Iraq.
"Part of the terrorism was in support of Saddam
Hussein and now he has been captured then it might curb the
terrorism against the occupying forces. The intention is to
hand over democracy to the Iraqi people and hopefully this
will quicken the process up a bit," said British tourist
Gary Butch.
Well I hope what it does is bring about peace in the
Middle East in a quicker way, hopefully the people that
were doing things in his name will quit now and hopefully
the Americans can leave and the British can leave and the
Iraqis can get back to their own country and running it and
things can start to get back to normal," said American
tourist Steve Porter, who comes from Texas, the home state
of American President George Bush.
"The whole world has been waiting for this capture"
said Venetian resident Gianni Fassolo.
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