ITALY: Italian marines charged with killing two Indian fishermen arrive at a military court in Rome for questioning by magistrates

Record ID: 860507

  • Title: ITALY: Italian marines charged with killing two Indian fishermen arrive at a military court in Rome for questioning by magistrates
  • Date: 20th March 2013
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (MARCH 20, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF MILITARY COURT BUILDING SIGN FOR MILITARY COURT VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS OUTSIDE COURT CARS ARRIVING OUTSIDE COURT / ITALIAN MARINES MASSIMILIANO LATORRE AND SALVATORE GIRONE GETTING OUT AND WALKING TO COURTYARD OF COURT BUILDING MARINES ENTERING COURTYARD VARIOUS OF MEDIA OUTSIDE
  • Embargoed: 4th April 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • City:
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Crime,Politics,People
  • Reuters ID: LVA4HDD0GSKQ9G81RA8LIK0OSSYD
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen were questioned by magistrates at Rome's military court on Wednesday (March 20).
    The marines, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, part of a security team protecting a tanker from pirates, are accused of shooting the two fishermen off the coast of Kerala in February last year.
    The court appearance came as the dispute over their case is escalating with India's top court barring the Italian ambassador from leaving the country.
    India's Supreme Court said in a long-awaited ruling in January that India had jurisdiction to try the marines, but Italy has challenged that decision, arguing that the shooting took place in international waters.
    The court had allowed the marines to go home for four weeks to vote in last month's parliamentary election, provided they returned.
    They have not done so, and Italy's Foreign Ministry says the incident has become a formal dispute over U.N. laws.
    Italy's announcement that the sailors would not return caused an uproar in India' parliament and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government is under pressure to respond forcefully.
    The European Union said on Tuesday (March 19) that India would be breaking international law if it stops Italy's ambassador from leaving the country.
    The statement was the bloc's most forceful intervention yet in the festering dispute over the marines which has soured relations between India and EU member Italy.
    The EU statement echoed comments by Italy's Foreign Ministry on Monday (March 18) that the Indian court's decision violated diplomatic immunity law.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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