Giorgia Meloni, her ministers face probe for releasing Libyan warlord

The prosecutors in Italy's Rome have opened an investigation against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and two government ministers for repatriating a Libyan warlord – Ossama Anjiem, also known as Ossama al-Masri – who was wanted by the International Criminal Court in the Hague, AP quoted PM Meloni as saying.

She revealed about the probe over allegedly aiding and abetting Ossama Anjiem in a video posted on social media. In addition, the Italian PM said Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and the cabinet undersecretary for intelligence matters, Alfredo Mantovano have also been placed under investigation.

She stated that she is under no obligation to resign, and being placed under investigation in Italy does not imply guilt, nor mean that formal charges will necessarily follow.

"I will not be blackmailed, I will not allow myself to be intimidated, which may be why I am, let's say, disliked by those who do not want Italy to change and become better," Meloni said in a video posted on her Facebook profile.

Recently, PM Meloni's government has been under fire from the opposition, human rights groups and the ICC itself for releasing Ossama Anjiemon a technicality and flown home by an Italian state aircraft. Anjiemon was arrested in the northern city of Turin on a warrant from the international court for his alleged crimes against humanity.

The ICC has demanded an explanation, saying it had not been consulted over the decision.

Same prosecutor:

According to a report by Reuters, Meloni believed the investigation had been triggered by Luigi Li Gotti, a lawyer who announced last week that he had lodged a complaint over the release of Njeem and the use of an official jet to fly him back to Tripoli.

In her Facebook video, she also mentioned the case was being led by the same prosecutor who investigated Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini in Sicily for allegedly kidnapping 100 migrants aboard a boat that he had blocked at sea for nearly three weeks in 2019. Salvini was acquitted in that case in December.

With agency inputs.