Italy threatens to take Brazil to international court

Brazil's Supreme Court has ruled that it would not extradite an Italian fugitive Cesare Battisti. Upon hearing the announcement, Italy said it will go to the international court in The Hague to have Brazil's decision overturned.

The decision, made last year by Brazil's former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was upheld by the court, who ordered Battisti's immediate release from prison in Brasilia. Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi expressed "great regret" over Brazil's decision, adding that it "denies justice to the Italian people and in particular to Battisti's victims".

Battisti, a former left-wing rebel escaped from an Italian jail in 1981, while awaiting trial for four murders in the 1970s. He has always denied the charges, but was convicted of murder in absentia in 1990.

Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said the country “plans to activate immediately every possible judicial mechanism... in particular through The Hague international court." He added that Italy would, "seek to overturn the decision that it holds is not in accordance with...the requirements of international law".

Nine of Brazil's Supreme Court judges voted 6-3 to uphold Lula's decision and deny the extradition. The ruling complies with a bilateral treaty therefore it is thought that Italy does not have legal footing to challenge the decision.

Speaking about it, however, Frattini said the verdict "appears to breach international agreements between the two countries, as well as the profound and age-old blood and friendship ties".

Sources: BBC NEWS, Reuters, CBN News

For more news and expert analysis about Brazil, please see Brazil Focus.

UPDATE: Libya issues apology for shooting at fishing boat

Libya has issued an official apology for opening fire on an Italian fishing boat. None of its 10 crew members were injured, and the boat returned safely to Sicily on Sunday 12th September. A number of Italian ministers have expressed their concern about the incident, deeming it “serious”, but said that it would not affect relations between the two countries.

It has emerged that several Italian officials were on board the Libyan patrol boat, assisting their Libyan counterparts with technological support. According to Italy's Interior Minister Roberto Maroni the incident, “should not have happened," and was a mere misunderstanding.

"I imagine they mistook the fishing boat for a ship carrying illegal immigrants, but we will check what happened with an investigation," he added.

However, captain of the Italian fishing boat Gaspare Marrone told the Corriere della Sera newspaper that it was "clear" that the crew were fishermen, dismissing any idea of a misunderstanding. He also added that Libyan naval patrol had tried to stop the boat and then pursued it, firing every 20 minutes.

"They shot to hit us and they could have killed us. We all lay down hoping we wouldn't be hit," said Marrone.

Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that the Libyan naval patrol crew had been told to fire into the air, but the bullets had still somehow hit the fishing boat, before adding that the Italian boat was fishing near the Libyan coast illegally.


Source: BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.