Almasri kills a man on the street with his bare hands: the mystery of the video does not erase the concentration camps and the murders.

There's a video, released by a Libyan newspaper and republished by the NGO " Refugees in Libya ," showing Osama Almasri attacking and killing a person in the middle of the street, with his bare hands, in broad daylight, possibly a Libyan citizen, possibly a refugee. There's no absolute certainty that the video is authentic, because in the age of artificial intelligence, it's not difficult to construct fake documents. However, those who know a little about these types of images consider it quite likely that it's authentic. Also, as far as we know, there are also eyewitness accounts of the attack.

Democratic Party Secretary Elly Schlein has asked Giorgia Meloni to investigate and respond. One thing is clear: if the video were real, the Italian government would have to take responsibility for not allowing the execution of the arrest warrant issued against Almasri by the Hague tribunal, and for consequently allowing Almasri to continue his killing spree. The Democratic Party Secretary was right to call the government to account. Almasri's escape—let's call it that—from Turin prison and his subsequent flight to Libya (not facilitated but actually organized by the Italian government) are extremely serious matters, which have also been addressed by the judiciary, and which cannot be swept under the rug. If there were indeed evidence of a new murder, personally committed by Almasri, after his release on the orders of ministers and Meloni 's decision—she was the one who claimed responsibility for the decision —you can see that we would be faced with direct and profound responsibility on the part of our government for the killing of a person.

However, it must be said that this new hypothetical murder of Almasri changes nothing in the assessment of his person or the government's decision to obstruct international justice and restore his freedom. Not only—note—personal freedom, but the freedom to resume his activities. What is his activity? There is no risk of false or manipulated news on this matter; there is a very thorough investigation by the Hague Court , and there are even—even older—accusations from the US State Department. Almasri was in control of the largest concentration camp organized by the Libyans to collect refugees, and in this concentration camp he ordered, controlled, and sometimes perhaps even personally carried out sexual violence, rape (including of a child), torture, and numerous murders. He was also the organizer of the trafficking of refugees , forced to pay—often more than once—to be freed from the concentration camp and put on boats attempting to reach Italy.

This is Almasri, and we've talked about him many times in this newspaper before the arrest warrant was issued and his arrest by the DIGOS (Italian Special Operations Unit). So it can't be said that the government, when it had this person in its possession, didn't know who he was. Minister Nordio knew this very well when he refused to sign the papers that could have prevented his release. Interior Minister Piantedosi also knew this very well, when, together with Undersecretary Mantovano, he sent a jet to Turin airport to allow Almasri to reach Libya within two hours of his release. Giorgia Meloni also knew this, declaring she had made the decision. The head of our secret services, who advised the government, knew this.

Now the position of these people (not Meloni, who was spared by the magistrates, perhaps precisely for reasons of state, namely, the need to avoid jeopardizing the stability of the government) will have to appear before the Chamber of Deputies to beg the deputies to vote to save them from trial. This time, not for influence peddling or other crimes of that nature, but for aiding and abetting the escape of one of the worst criminals active in Italy for several decades. The Chamber will save them, and prevent the judges from sending them to prison. We're always happy when someone is spared from prison, so that's fine. But if the two ministers, the undersecretary, and the prime minister are fortunately spared from criminal prosecution, it's not possible to save them from political prosecution. They claim to have saved Almasri for reasons of state.

What does this mean? That if they hadn't saved him, Almasri would have stopped the Libyans' efforts to reduce the influx of African refugees into Italy? Okay. How do they reduce it? By killing refugees or torturing them. Can anyone deny this? No. So the government is telling us: " We are forced to protect those who kill and torture refugees in Libya, otherwise the flow of immigrants would increase" ? Very good. Let Giorgia Meloni come to Parliament and tell us: "Let us let them kill them..."

FROM

Piero Sansonetti