Italy's allies expressed concern on Wednesday over the terms negotiated for the release of an Italian journalist held hostage by the Taliban in southern Afghanistan for more than two weeks.
Daniele Mastrogiacomo was freed on Monday in exchange for the release of up to five Taliban prisoners being held by the Afghan government.
An official in the administration of US President George W. Bush, who asked not to be named, told ANSA that Washington had expressed "disappointment" over the deal to the Italian government on Tuesday.
The official said that "striking deals with kidnappers is never a positive thing", adding that the released militants would go on to help the Taliban fight US and NATO forces in their bid to retake power in Afghanistan.
"The way Mastrogiacomo was released increases the risks for our troops, Afghan troops and international forces," he said.
The official added that Washington had been "taken by surprise" by the exchange.
Meanwhile, an official at the British Foreign Office told ANSA on Wednesday evening that the British government was "concerned by the implications of the release of the Taliban" and had raised the matter with both Rome and Kabul.
"There is concern that this could send the wrong message to those who are thinking of taking hostages," the official said.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai agreed to release the prisoners after talks with Italian Premier Romano Prodi and Italian authorities.
Karzai's spokesman Karim Rahimi confirmed at a press conference in the Afghan capital on Tuesday that some Taliban prisoners had been released in exchange for Mastrogiacomo's life.
But he said the case was "exceptional" and would not be repeated in future.
"The Taliban presented their demands, some of which were satisfied. It was an exceptional measure taken in consideration of the value of our relations with Italy," Rahimi said.
He did not say exactly how many prisoners were released or provide any of their names but one of them was reported to be Mansoor Ahmad, the brother of top Taliban military commander Mullah Dadullah.
The centre-right Italian opposition accused Prodi of "giving in to terrorists" and encouraging the Taliban to carry out more kidnappings.
They also argued that "freeing Taliban terrorists" went against the purpose of NATO's mission to secure Afghanistan and defeat the Taliban insurgency there.
But the opposition was not united in its criticism. Opposition chief Silvio Berlusconi's spokesman Paolo Bonaiuti said bluntly: "Hostages must be freed".
Asked on Wednesday about the way his release had been secured, Mastrogiacomo said: "I don't think that what was done violated the autonomy and sovereignty of the Afghan state".
Prodi, who was there to meet Mastrogiacomo as he arrived back in Rome late on Tuesday, praised the "teamwork" that had made his release possible and glossed over the polemics.
