Rome says it released Libyan officer due to mistakes in ICC warrant

Osama Elmasry Njeem, a Libyan military officer wanted by the International Criminal court for alleged war crimes, was recently freed by Rome.

The move ignited outrage among Italian opposition parties and prompted a legal investigation into Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Now, Italy’s justice minister is defending the decision, alleging there were mistakes and inaccuracies in the ICC’s arrest warrant.

The official insisted there was ‘'uncertainty'’ in the document over when Njeem was thought to have perpetrated the alleged crimes.

He stated that the warrant implied they started in February 2011, and later spoke of February 2015.

The minister called on the court to provide explanations for the alleged inconsistencies.

The ICC, meanwhile, has urged explanations over why Njeem was released, accusing Italy’s government of letting him go without any discussions.

The court has been looking into accusations of war crimes committed in Libya since the country’s 2011 civil war.