An Argentinian court has rejected a
request to release from prison former Red Brigades (BR) fugitive
Leonardo Bertulazzi presented by his defense attorneys following
his arrest this week, sources from the tribunal overseeing the
case have told ANSA.
The decision was taken by Judge Maria Romilda Servini de Cubria
at the end of a hearing held on Friday during which the arrest
was officially confirmed.
Red Brigades (BR) fugitive Bertulazzi, who was arrested
Thursday in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after being wanted by
Italian judicial authorities for four decades, is detained under
a special regime and not in a common prison, well-informed
sources told ANSA.
Bertulazzi will be extradited to Italy after the refugee status
he had obtained in 2004 was revoked.
He must serve a 27-year prison term in Italy after being
convicted on charges of abduction, subversive association and
belonging to an armed group.
A fugitive since 1980, he was responsible for the abduction of
engineer Piero Costa in Genoa in 1977 as a member of the Red
Brigades (BR) terrorist group.
The office of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni late on Thursday
expressed "deep appreciation" to Argentinian authorities for
carrying out Bertulazzi's arrest, "already sentenced in Italy to
27 years in prison for crimes of terrorism, after his status of
refugee was revoked by the Argentinian Refugee Commission",
according to a statement.
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