Prodi faces US, Oppn heat for trading 5 militants for scribe

A deputy foreign affairs minister said on Wednesday that the Afghan government had freed five Taliban prisoners to win the release of La Repubblica reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo. He had been captured two weeks earlier.

Reactions came quickly,and soon the controversy overshadowed Italy8217;s joy over Mastrogiacomo8217;s release. While criticism came mainly from the conservative Opposition, some within Prodi8217;s ranks also expressed unease.

Former Premier Silvio Berlusconi8212;who also came under scrutiny amid unconfirmed allegations that his government paid ransom to free Italians abducted in Iraq, said: 8220;We Italians are considered unreliable by our own allies.8221;

Berlusconi8217;s party Forza Italia and other Opposition parties are threatening to vote against a government decree that provides funding for Italian missions abroad, including the country8217;s 2,000 troops in Afghanistan.

US diplomats told their Italian counterparts in Rome and Washington that the swap raised safety concerns and increased the risk of kidnappings in Afghanistan, a senior State Department official said on Wednesday.