INDIA: Two Italian marines charged with killing two fishermen off the coast of India are to leave for Italy to spend Christmas at home

Record ID: 1374700

  • Title: INDIA: Two Italian marines charged with killing two fishermen off the coast of India are to leave for Italy to spend Christmas at home
  • Date: 22nd December 2012
  • Summary: KOCHI, KERALA, INDIA (DECEMBER 21, 2012) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) EXTERIOR OF AN AIRPORT BUILDING SIGNBOARD ON THE BUILDING READING 'INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL' POLICEMEN ESCORTING THE TWO ITALIAN MARINES CHARGED WITH KILLING TWO FISHERMEN OFF THE COAST OF INDIA MARINES WALKING, SURROUNDED WITH SECURITY MEN AND MEDIAPERSONS POLICEMEN ESCORTING THE TWO ITALIAN MARINES INSIDE THE AIRPORT ITALIAN AMBASSADOR TO INDIA, GIACOMO SANFELICE DI MONTEFORT, COMING OUT OF A CAR ANOTHER OFFICIAL CARRYING HIS LUGGAGE AND WALKING TOWARDS THE AIRPORT ENTRANCE OFFICIAL ENTERING THE AIRPORT PASSENGERS AT THE AIRPORT SIGNBOARD READING 'DEPARTURES' UNKNOWN LOCATION, KERALA, INDIA (FILE- FEBRUARY 2012) (ORIGINALLY 4: 3) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) BODIES OF INDIAN FISHERMEN SHOT DOWN BY THE ITALIAN MARINES, BEING TAKEN ON A STRETCHER BY LOCALS FACE OF AN INDIAN FISHERMAN, KILLED BY ITALIAN MARINES ANOTHER BODY OF A FISHERMAN BEING TAKEN INSIDE THE AMBULANCE FACE OF ANOTHER FISHERMAN, KILLED BY ITALIAN MARINES ITALIAN MARINES BEING ESCORTED BY POLICE OFFICIALS ITALIAN MARINES WALKING ITALIAN MARINES BEING TAKEN INSIDE THE POLICE VEHICLE ITALIAN MARINES SITTING IN THE POLICE VEHICLE POLICE VEHICLE LEAVING ITALIAN MERCHANT VESSEL ENRICA LEXIE NAPOLI SAILING IN THE SEA 'ENRICA LEXIE NAPOLI' WRITTEN ON THE HULK OF THE VESSEL
  • Embargoed: 6th January 2013 21:05
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Crime
  • Reuters ID: LVABPKR45P5CXUSPG99GBMLX7JBF
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Two Italian marines charged with killing two fishermen off the coast of India have left for Italy to spend Christmas at home on Friday (December 21), after an Indian court accepted a plea by the sailors to be allowed to join their families for the holiday season.
    The two Italian sailors, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, members of a military security team protecting the cargo ship Enrica Lexie from pirate attacks, shot the fishermen they say they mistook for pirates off the Kerala in February, sparking a diplomatic row between New Delhi and Rome.
    They will be required to hand over 60 million rupees (676,200 pounds) as a bank guarantee to the court before leaving.
    The sailors, awaiting trial in New Delhi's Supreme Court in connection with the shooting, have to report back to India on January 10.
    The Kerala state government at first opposed the sailors' request, suspecting Italy of trying to smuggle the men out of India and feared that the sailors may not return.
    Last week, Italian authorities summoned India's ambassador in Rome and expressed "strong disappointment" that the Supreme Court had delayed a decision on where the men would face trial.
    Italy wants the Supreme Court to rule that the shooting took place in international waters, outside India's jurisdiction, allowing the marines to be tried in Rome.
    Indian authorities accuse the sailors of killing unarmed fishermen in a "contiguous zone" where Indian law applies.
    While visiting the marines in Kerala last week, Italy's Defence Minister, Giampaolo Di Paolo, pinned his hopes on India allowing the men home for Christmas, saying "nobody more than India knows the values of festivities."
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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