ROME, Feb 7 (Reuters) - A Rome judge on Wednesday ordered a U.S. soldier to stand trial on homicide charges for shooting dead an Italian intelligence agent in Iraq in 2005 as he was escorting a newly freed hostage to safety, prosecutors said.

Mario Lozano of the U.S. Army's 69th Infantry Regiment was charged with voluntary homicide for shooting Nicola Calipari at a checkpoint near Baghdad airport. He was also charged with two counts of attempted homicide -- one for the other Italian agent driving the vehicle and the second for the freed hostage inside.

Prosecutors said the trial will begin on April 17.

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