I would like to support Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano on the occasion of the death of Franco Lamolinara (Report, 9 March). How can a government put in danger the life of another national without agreeing, not just "informing of the possibility", the intervention with the hostage's government? What kind of arrogance is this? What would the British reaction be if the Italians had caused the death of a British citizen? Your online article (Downing Street defends Nigeria hostage raid ) says: "In London, the prime minister's spokesman confirmed that the Italian government had been told of the rescue attempt after it had been launched, but added that the possibility of a raid had been raised in previous discussions and that no objection had been voiced." Is this the British concept of international co-operation and diplomacy? This is not a matter of humiliation, but of interference and killing. The British empire is over, in case you didn't know.
Paola De Angelis
Rome, Italy
• What happened in Nigeria is absolutely unacceptable politically. With one of the hostages being Italian and both men working for an Italian company, the Italian government ought at least to have been informed beforehand and a common decision made. Mr Cameron has proved to the world how pretentious, self-referential, and a complete failure he is in most of his decisions.
Augusto Andreoli
Potenza Picena, Italy
• "Kidnapped Britain killed..." and "Italian colleague". Not Franco Lamolinara, Why?
Mic Porter
Monkseaton, Tyne and Wear