Italy claims that because of mistakes in the ICC warrant, it released a Libyan officer

Italy’s justice minister said Wednesday that due to what he called errors and irregularities in the court’s arrest order, Rome was forced to release a Libyan military colonel who was sought by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.

Osama Elmasry Njeem was freed and transported back to Tripoli two days after being arrested in northern Italy last month on suspicion of raping, torturing, and killing captives in Libya, according to an ICC warrant.

Italian opposition parties were outraged by his release, which led to a court probe of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, two of her ministers, and an undersecretary in the cabinet.

Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, one of the people being investigated, told parliament that the warrant was “marked by inaccuracies, omissions, discrepancies and contradictory conclusions.”

Requests for a response to the remarks were not immediately answered by the court’s prosecutor or representatives.

According to Nordio, the warrant had “uncertainty” regarding the time frame in which Njeem was accused of committing the alleged offenses; it said that they had begun in February 2011 and then made reference to February 2015.

Nordio stated, “It is my intention… to ask the ICC for justification of the inconsistencies,” adding that the Court quickly revised the document after realizing it had produced “a huge, hasty mess” just a few days before.

Speaking to the house as well, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi reaffirmed that Njeem was expelled after being released because he was considered dangerous.

He refuted opposition claims that Rome was under pressure to liberate Njeem and that he had collaborated with Italy to assist manage Libyan migrant flows.

The International Criminal Court (ICC), which has been looking into claims of grave crimes in Libya since the civil conflict in 2011, has called for an explanation of Njeem’s release, claiming Rome released him without consulting anybody.

Opposition leaders insisted that Meloni personally explain her government’s decision after rejecting the justifications offered by the interior and justice ministries.

Elly Schlein, leader of the biggest opposition party, the Democratic Party, stated, “Your decision to release a Libyan torturer has tarnished Italy’s international credibility.”

Francesco Le Voi, Rome’s top prosecutor, announced last week that Meloni, Nordio, Piantedosi, and Alfredo Mantovano, the cabinet undersecretary for intelligence affairs, were being investigated for allegedly misusing public funds and aiding and abetting a crime.

Le Voi has been accused of politicizing the issue by all four, who have rejected the notion. In Italy, being under investigation does not always indicate guilt or result in official charges.