In April 2004, an Iraqi group kidnapped four Italian workers off the streets of Baghdad.

One man, Fabrizio Quattrocchi, was executed, after which a group calling itself the Green Brigades gave the Italian public five days to organize demonstrations calling for the withdrawal of the 2,700 Italian troops in Iraq or the remaining hostages would be killed. (Quattrocchi became a national hero in Italy after reportedly telling his killers just before his death, “Now I’ll show you how an Italian dies.”)

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There were subsequent demonstrations in Rome, but not as part of a call for troop withdrawal; fortunately the kidnappers failed to follow through on their threat of further executions.

Several weeks later, the same group of kidnappers abducted a Polish worker from his company’s Baghdad office.

Intensive investigation by agents with the top-secret USAISA (U.S. Army Intelligence Support Activity), aided by information from Polish intelligence units, enabled them to track and tap the cell phones of the kidnappers and locate the compound where the hostages were being held near Ramadi, 80 miles northwest of Baghdad.

Additional surveillance enabled operatives to learn the kidnappers’ routines and time the rescue for maximum effectiveness and minimum likelihood of casualties.

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