The case of Italy's alleged failure
to execute an International Criminal Court warrant for Libyan
General Osama Almasri on charges of war crimes and crimes
against humanity committed in a Tripoli migrant detention centre
is before the ICC's preliminary chamber but no Italian official
is up before the court itself as yet, spokesman Fadi El Abdallah
said Monday.
He said Rome could file "observations on the failure to
cooperate".
Almasri, wanted for allegedly torturing, raping and murdering
migrants as young as five, was arrested by Italian security
police after attending a Juventus soccer match in Turin on
January 19 only to be released and flown back to Libya to a
hero's welcome two days later.
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio has blamed errors in the ICC
warrants, which he described as a "mess", while Interior
Minister Matteo Piantedosi has said Rome was forced to expel the
general as a danger to Italy.
The centre-left opposition has been baying for Premier Giorgia
Meloni to address the House, as the minister did in her absence,
saying that it must have been her who made the final decision to
free the alleged war criminal.
They have also said national security demanded his release as he
has been allegedly essential to Italian efforts, agreed with
Libya under a 2017 deal, to fund Libyan coast guards to keep
migrants from leaving for Italian shores.
Some opposition MPs have also pointed to Italy's key oil
interests in the north African country.
Meloni, who has been ignoring the pressure to address
parliament, has said repeatedly she is not open to blackmail.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said the ICC is "not the
Word of God" and should itself be investigated over its handling
of the case.
Meloni and others have said it is suspicious that the Hague
court allegedly waited until Almasri was in Italy, having roamed
the UK, Belgium, France and Germany for 12 days, to issue the
warrant.
The warrant was issued a day before the general entered Italy to
attend the game between Juventus and AC Milan, the latter of
which he is a fan.
The ICC has demanded an explanation as to why Almasri was freed
and flown home, and several refugees have reportedly filed, or
are about to file, complaints against Meloni and ministers in
the case.
taly on Friday failed to join France, Germany, the UK, Spain
amid 79 countries signing a declaration condemning Donald
Trump's sanctions on ICC staff who have been investigating
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on alleged war crimes
committed in Gaza, along with his ex defence minister Yoav
Gallant and Hamas leader who was meanwhile killed by Israel
after leading the October 7, 2023 attacks on southern Israel.
Australia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic were among the other
non-signatories to the ICC members' statement against the
American president's sanctions.
The ICC has 125 members.
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