Italy under fire for freeing warlord wanted by ICC
ROME—Italian opposition lawmakers and human rights groups voiced outrage Wednesday after Italy released a Libyan warlord on a technicality, after he was arrested on a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Justice minister Carlo Nordio was grilled about the release Tuesday of Ossama Anjiem, also known as Ossama al-Masri, during a previously scheduled appearance before the Senate. Nordio didn’t respond to several requests for details about the release.
Al-Masri heads the Tripoli branch of the Reform and Rehabilitation Institution, a notorious network of detention centers run by the government-backed Special Defense Force.
The ICC warrant accuses him of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Mitiga prison in Libya starting in 2011.
Al-Masri was arrested Sunday in Turin, where he reportedly had attended the Juventus-Milan soccer match the night before.
