Almasri repatriation plane ready for prevention-Piantedosi

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 5 - A plane that was sent to repatriate Libyan judicial police chief General Osama Almasri before he was released after being arrested on an International Criminal Court war crimes warrant was readied "for the purposes of prevention, a practice in line what previous governments had done," Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told the House on the controversial case Wednesday denying opposition assertions that the government had planned all along to send the alleged rapist and murderer back to Libya so he could start his anti-migrant activities again.
    "The choice of repatriation methods (in line with what happened in numerous similar cases even in previous years and with governments other than the current one) went hand in hand with the assessment carried out for the expulsion of Almasri", said the interior minister, who said the official wanted for crimes against humanity and raping persons as young as five had been expelled because he was a danger to Italy.
    Furthermore, "the preparation of the plane, already on the morning of January 21, is one of those preventive initiatives, and therefore open to every possible scenario (including the possible transfer to another place of detention), which are the responsibility of those called upon to manage situations that imply profiles of protection of security and public order of such importance".
    Italy has had a deal to fund Libyan coast guards in stopping migrant departures since 2017, sealed by then centre-left Democratic Party (PD) hardline anti-migrant interior ministerMarco Minniti under Premier Paolo Gentiloni.
    It is renewed every three years and is also screened by the European Council.
    Critics in human rights NGOs say it fosters illegal pushbacks.
    The opposition has claimed Almasri is a key part of anti-migrant departure efforts. (ANSA).