ROME (AP) — Italy’s prime minister on Saturday addressed growing criticism of the repatriation of a Libyan warlord wanted by the International Criminal Court, as Giorgia Meloni cited an appeals court order and security concerns.
The repatriation of Ossama Anjiem to Libya, a key partner in Europe’s efforts to keep migrants from crossing the Mediterranean and landing on its shores, sparked outrage from human rights groups and questions from Italy’s opposition parties.
Meloni said her government will ask the ICC to clarify why it took months to issue the arrest warrant for Anjiem, also known as Ossama al-Masri, and why it was issued only after he traveled through at least three European countries.
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“Al-Masri was released by an order of Rome’s Court of Appeal … It was not a government choice,” Meloni told journalists during a trip to Saudi Arabia.
Italy has close ties to Libya’s internationally recognized government in Tripoli and relies on it to patrol its coasts and prevent migrants from leaving. Any trial of al-Masri in The Hague could bring unwanted attention to Italy’s migration policies and its support of Libya’s coast guard.
Al-Masri leads the Tripoli branch of the Reform and Rehabilitation Institution, a notorious network of detention centers run by the government-backed Special Deterrence Forces. He was arrested Sunday in Turin, where he reportedly attended the Juventus-Milan soccer match the night before.
The ICC warrant, dated the day before his arrest, accused al-Masri of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Mitiga prison, starting in 2015, that are punishable with life in prison. The court said he was accused of murder, torture, rape and sexual violence. The prison holds political dissidents, migrants and others.
Human rights groups for years have documented abuses in Libyan detention facilities where migrants are kept.
The ICC said the arrest warrant was transmitted to member states on Saturday, including Italy, and that the court had told Italy to contact it “without delay” if it ran into problems cooperating with the warrant.
But Rome’s court of appeals ordered al-Masri freed Tuesday, citing a “procedural error” in his arrest. The ruling said Justice Minister Carlo Nordio should have been informed ahead of time since the ministry handles all relations with the ICC.
Al-Masri was sent to Libya aboard an aircraft of the Italian secret services.
The ICC said it had not been given prior notice of the appeals court’s decision, as required, and was “yet to obtain verification from the authorities on the steps reportedly taken.”
Meloni said Italy’s government, “faced with a dangerous individual, decided to expel him immediately and, as it happens in many cases with dangerous prisoners who are repatriated, didn’t use a regular flight, also for passengers’ safety.”
She said Italy will provide all needed clarifications to the ICC.
Opposition parties have asked Meloni to urgently explain the “very serious” development, while calling on the justice minister to resign.
