Amid the blood spatters and bullet holes, Italy accuses UK over hostage

The UK government has defended its failed attempt to rescue two hostages, after becoming embroiled in a diplomatic spat with the Italian authorities.

Italian president Giorgio Napolitano branded Downing Street’s failure to inform Rome before the raid “inexplicable”.

British construction worker Chris McManus and his Italian co-worker Franco Lamolinara died on Thursday after nine months in captivity.

Believing they were in imminent danger, Nigerian troops and UK Special Boat Service (SBS) commandos launched a last-ditch effort to save them.

The bid to rescue the men was apparently brought forward because the kidnappers – believed to be members of a group linked to al-Qaeda – became aware that the net was closing in on them.

There were reports of a fierce firefight after the house in the north-western town of Sokoto was surrounded. Pictures were released of the compound yesterday showing blood spatters and bullet holes.

Downing Street insisted that contacts had taken place between the governments as the operation got under way, and that David Cameron later spoke to Italian prime minister Mario Monti by phone after he learned that the hostages were dead.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said he was not aware of any request from Rome to halt the operation or of any complaint from Mr Monti during the phone call.

It had been clear for some time that a rescue attempt was an option, and Downing Street was not aware of Italy raising any objection to a possible mission, according to the spokesman.

Mr Monti disclosed the lack of warning in a statement in which he said UK and Nigerian authorities had determined the operation was the “last window of opportunity to save the hostages’ lives”.

Mr Napolitano told reporters: “The behaviour of the British government in not informing Italy is inexplicable. A political and diplomatic clarification is necessary.”

Italian diplomat Antonio Puri Purini said the events had been an “unacceptable slap in the face”.

But Mr Cameron’s spokesman said: “We had been in contact with the Italians on a regular basis over the past nine months.

“We have had many, many meetings in the UK on this issue. There have been around 20 meetings of Cobra [Cabinet Office Briefing Room A] to discuss this particular case and throughout that period we have been in contact with the Italians.”

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond directly contradicted the Italian president’s comments.

He said: “The Italian government was kept informed throughout the operation as the intelligence emerged and then as the decision was taken to act.”

Five members of Boko Haram are understood to have been arrested by Nigerian forces. Reports said some suspects were held a few days before the rescue effort. Some of the hostage-takers were killed in the operation.