Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi on
Wednesday dismissed talk of the government being blackmailed
into releasing Libyan general Osama Almasri last month after he
was arrested in Turin on a warrant by the International Criminal
Court (ICC).
Almasri, the director of Tripoli's notorious Mitiga detention
centre, is wanted by the ICC for alleged crimes against humanity
and war crimes, including murder, torture, rape and sexual
violence, allegedly committed in Libya from February 2015
onwards.
He was flown back to Libya on a secret service flight two days
after his January 19 arrest due to a technical issue with his
case, sparking an outcry and leading the ICC to request
clarification.
Italy has an agreement with Libya to provide aid for its coast
guard in exchange for cooperation on combatting illegal
migration crossings.
Government critics say Almasri is central to those operations.
"I deny, in the most categorical manner, that, in the hours in
which the matter was handled, the government received any act or
communication that could be, even remotely, considered a form of
undue pressure assimilated to a threat or blackmail by anyone,
as has been alleged in some moments of the public debate over
the last few days," Piantedosi told the Lower House as he and
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio reported to parliament on the
case.
"On the contrary, as always, every decision taken, was taken
purely on the basis of evaluations made on facts and situations
with the exclusive perspective of protecting the interests of
our country".
Piantedosi reiterated that Almasri posed a danger to public
safety.
He also said that Almasri "has never been an interlocutor with
the government on matters concerning the management and fight
against the complex phenomenon of migration".
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