Italy's small contingent of foreign correspondents in Iraq left or were leaving the country on Tuesday after Rome warned of threats against the media and urged them to return home, officials said. "They have all left or they are in the process of doing so," a foreign ministry official said, adding he believed there were approximately 20 Italian journalists in Iraq at the end of last month. The decision came two weeks after Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena was abducted by gunmen as she conducted interviews in Baghdad. It also followed the kidnap-killing of Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni last year. An official at Italy's embassy in Baghdad said on Monday that threats had been made against four journalists, including one working for Rome daily newspaper La Repubblica and another working for national broadcaster RAI. La Repubblica said its journalist would return to Italy by Wednesday. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said the journalists were urged to quit the country following information from Italian intelligence services.
