Italy says it freed Libyan officer because of errors in ICC warrant

Italy's Justice Minister Carlo Nordio reacts, on the day he and Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi address the lower house of parliament over the case of Osama Elmasry Njeem, a Libyan war crimes suspect who was freed and repatriated after being arrested under a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), in Rome, Italy, February 5, 2025. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's justice minister said on Wednesday Rome had no choice but to free a Libyan military officer wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court because of what he described as mistakes and inaccuracies in the court's arrest warrant.

Osama Elmasry Njeem was released and flown home to Tripoli two days after being detained last month in northern Italy on the back of the ICC warrant which said he was suspected of the murder, torture and rape of detainees in Libya.