Kidnapping charges in SeaWatch standoff - prosecutors

(ANSA) - Rome, March 27 - There are "elements to posit" kidnapping charges in the case of the SeaWatch 3 migrant rescue ship which had to wait 12 days off Siracusa before getting the OK to land at Catania on January 31, Rome prosecutors said Wednesday.
    The prosecutors sent their case file, at the moment against person or persons unknown, to Siracusa colleagues who will now weigh whether to hand the case to the Catania ministers tribunal.
    Siracusa prosecutor Fabio Scavone told ANSA the file would be sent to Catania on Thursday.
    He said the Siracusa prosecutors had not investigated the case because it was not their competence.
    The Senate recently voted not to let kidnapping charges proceed against Interior Minister Matteo Salvini in another migrant rescue standoff with the EU last August.
    In that case, Salvini kept 177 migrants on board coast guard ship Diciotti for two weeks until Albania, Ireland and the Italian Church agreed to take them in.
    Salvini said on the SeaWatch case Wednesday: "is there another trial against baddy Salvini on the way? "We'll find out together only if we live long enough. I'm certainly not changing my mind, you can only arrive in Iatly with a permit. They can denounce as much as they want, Italian ports will stay shut".
    Salvini last year closed Italian ports to NGO migrant rescue ships.