Italy warns India of European response to marines trial

[Grevion]

Italy has reacted angrily to an Indian decision to try two Italian marines, accused of killing two fishermen, under an anti-piracy law.

Prime Minister Enrico Letta said the proposal was unacceptable. "Italy and the European Union will react."

The marines, who had been guarding an Italian oil tanker, said they mistook the men for pirates when they opened fire off the Kerala coast in 2012.

India's Supreme Court has announced it will hear the case next week.

The lengthy diplomatic spat began in February 2012 when Massimilian Latorre and Salvatore Girone were first detained on suspicion of murder.

They were eventually allowed to return home for a four-week period to vote in the February 2013 elections.

Rome initially refused to return them, arguing they should be tried in Italy because the incident took place in international waters.

The marines eventually flew back to Delhi in March 2013.

Massimilian Latorre (L) and Salvatore Girone have been staying at the Italian embassy in Delhi
Italy's deputy foreign minister Staffan de Mistura, speaking outside the Supreme Court in Delhi on Monday, said the decision to charge the marines under the Suppression of Unlawful Acts (SUA) maritime security law was "unacceptable".

It was tantamount to labelling a friendly country and its two military representatives as "terrorists", he said,

Mr Letta tweeted on Monday that the Italian government "totally rejects the use of the concept of terrorism".

Indian authorities had originally planned to use part of the SUA that would have brought the death penalty but said on Saturday it would use a different section that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail.
Marines Latorre and Girone are currently on bail at the Italian embassy in Delhi.

Italy has complained at the slow progress of the case. India says the delay is down to witnesses who were on board the ship with the marines failing to return from abroad to provide evidence.

BBC News - Italy warns India of European response to marines trial

 

[faisal6309]

Making friends huh

 

[vicky sen]

Italy cant do $hit on their own!!

 

[hussain0216]

Dont worry India, we got your back

 

[AMCA]

They just cannot get away killing two Indians and that too in Indian waters. Agreed its diplomatically un viable to sentence them to death, but Italy must understand that the people who got killed could have outlived if these two would not have jumped the gun.

They will be tried under law of the land and why not?

 

[Abingdonboy]

Prime Minister Enrico Letta said the proposal was unacceptable. "Italy and the European Union will react."

It's funny he says that because the Italians have been trying to get other EU nations to weigh in this and back them against India on this issue and they have actively sought to distance themselves from the case. They have 0 interest in affecting their bilateral relations with India over this Italian issue. A pretty empty threat to be honest and this guy is just pandering to his domestic audience- just like last month when he said it would be "an act of war" if Indian prosecutors pursued the death penalty in this case.

And the Italians complain about the lack of progress in this case when it was THEM who reneged on a DEAL to return the Marines, eventually having to back down and return them to India and now they are blocking certain witnesses from going to India to participate in the trail/investigations. They want to get away scott-free in this case and are throwing their toys out of the pram because India won't let them.

 

[Fukuoka]

I can't believe they are serious. Europeans think they are god, and it's so an outrage for them to be executed.

It's so disrespectful from them to threaten India with a war for their 2 marines.

When Gadafi army captured italian terrorist who sniped protesters, it's OK.

 

[vostok]

Europeans do not care about the force of law. They recognize only the law of force.

 

[Star Wars]

Sooo......Italy is going crying to their daddy

 

[SrNair]

It's funny he says that because the Italians have been trying to get other EU nations to weigh in this and back them against India on this issue and they have actively sought to distance themselves from the case. They have 0 interest in affecting their bilateral relations with India over this Italian issue. A pretty empty threat to be honest and this guy is just pandering to his domestic audience- just like last month when he said it would be "an act of war" if Indian prosecutors pursued the death penalty in this case.

And the Italians complain about the lack of progress in this case when it was THEM who reneged on a DEAL to return the Marines, eventually having to back down and return them to India and now they are blocking certain witnesses from going to India to participate in the trail/investigations. They want to get away scott-free in this case and are throwing their toys out of the pram because India won't let them.

Another funny thing is Indian Authorities dont gave their ear for their hollow warnings.May EU is powerful .But each of their countries like a good bilateral relations with India.We Indians oppose death penalty even victim wife dont want them to be hanged,
But we must gave them a punishment. and 10 years is enough.
Our promise is not to gave them death penalty .that all

 

[Abingdonboy]

I can't believe they are serious. Europeans think they are god, and it's so an outrage for them to be executed.
It's so disrespectful from them to threaten India with a war for their 2 marines.
When Gadafi army captured italian terrorist who sniped protesters, it's OK.

Europeans do not care about the force of law. They recognize only the law of force.

It's the West in general, they think they are superior to everyone else and the thing they hate most is being shown they are not. They think if they bark loud enough these emerging nations like India and China will blink- good on them for showing a new world is emerging.

 

[Guynextdoor2]

major european players like Britain and France will NEVER take the italian line. There is a 20B Rafale deal, multiple other trade relations etc. Italians must be on pot!!!

 

[Abingdonboy]

Another funny thing is Indian Authorities dont gave their ear for their hollow warnings.May EU is powerful .But each of their countries like a good bilateral relations with India.We Indians oppose death penalty even victim wife dont want them to be hanged,
But we must gave them a punishment. and 10 years is enough.
Our promise is not to gave them death penalty .that all

The Indian Home Ministry ruled out pursuing the death penalty for them a few days ago. The EU IS powerful as a unified block, however it very rarely acts as one and, as you and I have stated, the individual member nations have no interest in damaging their individual bilateral ties with India over this case so they'll leave the Italians to make a big drama and jump up and down but won't get involved either way. As such the remarks about the EU by the Italian PM are as hollow as they come and India knows it- these comments are the his domestic audience.

 

[Guynextdoor2]

It's the West in general, they think they are superior to everyone else and the thing they hate most is being shown they are not. They think if they bark loud enough these emerging nations like India and China will blink- good on them for showing a new world is emerging.

Dude this is just some hollow threat. No one will take these seriously. Hell as soon as it was made, I'm sure many countries called to porivately say- don't worry, they (Italians) are on pot

 

[Abingdonboy]

Dude this is just some hollow threat. No one will take these seriously. Hell as soon as it was made, I'm sure many countries called to porivately say- don't worry, they (Italians) are on pot

I don't doubt it. I'm sure there's a lot of animosity coming from the other EU nations for Italy speaking on behalf of them like this. If you ask any EU member state they will chose to not take a stance and will say they this is a matter for Italy and India to sort out, they are in no way going to get involved in this.