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Tajani criticizes 'peculiar' ICC attitude over Almasri

Why didn't it ask Germany to detain him says foreign minister

Tajani criticizes 'peculiar' ICC attitude over Almasri

Redazione Ansa

(see related) (ANSA) - ROME, JAN 30 - Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Thursday accused the International Criminal Court (ICC) of adopting a "peculiar' position in its handling of the case of Libyan judicial police commander Najeem Osema Almasri Habish.
    Almasri, who is wanted by the ICC for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, was arrested in Italy earlier this month but released days later on a technicality.
    His release sparked a furore and prompted the ICC to ask Rome for clarification.
    Premier Giorgia Meloni, on the other hand, said she wants clarification about why the warrant was not issued until Almasri was in Italy after him being in other European countries in the preceding days.
    Tajani said he found this odd too.
    "The attitude of the International Criminal Court is certainly peculiar, since this gentleman that we expelled had been travelling around Europe for quite some time. Why didn't they intervene earlier? "One should ask the International Criminal Court why it did not ask Germany to detain Almasri, since he was going around Europe undisturbed.
    "As it happens, when he arrived in Italy there was a request, and it was formulated badly".
    When asked if the government would impose State secrecy on the investigation into the Almasri case, Tajani said this was an issue for Meloni.
    Almasri was arrested in Turin on Sunday January 19, a day after the ICC issued its warrant, after previously being in France, Belgium and Germany for around 12 days.
    He was arrested after travelling to the northwestern Italian city to see a Juventus-AC Milan soccer match on Saturday night.
    He is a Milan fan.
    He was flown back to Libya to a hero's welcome on an Italian state flight two days later after Rome said he had to be expelled because he was dangerous.
    He is wanted by the ICC for crimes including murder and rape, allegedly committed since 2015, and allegedly involving the abuse of children as young as five. (ANSA).
   

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