In brief: Gadhafi looks forward, and back
![Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi arrives at Rome’s Ciampino airport Wednesday. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)](https://thumb.spokesman.com/MNfqidAMFmDha8B_tuamp9vPuAM=/400x0/media.spokesman.com/photos/2009/06/11/gadhafi0611_06-11-2009_9TGAD72.jpg)
Rome – Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi hailed a “new era” in relations with Italy on Wednesday, saying a history of hatred and destruction during Italy’s 30-year colonial rule had been replaced by a future of friendship and cooperation.
But in a demonstration that the wounds of Italy’s occupation still run deep, Gadhafi arrived for his first visit to Italy wearing a black-and-white photo pinned to his military uniform of a Libyan national hero killed by Italian colonial authorities.
Gadhafi said the photo symbolized the tragedy of Italy’s 1911-1941 occupation in the same way Christians wear a cross to mark the tragedy of Christ’s death.
U.S. contractors to be released
Baghdad – Five U.S. contractors detained during an investigation into the slaying of another American will be freed after a week in Iraqi custody due to insufficient evidence against them, the Iraqi government said Wednesday.
U.S.-backed Iraqi forces detained the contractors June 3 in connection with an investigation into the stabbing death of contractor Jim Kitterman, of Houston. But there have been conflicting accounts about the specific allegations against them.