Italy's justice minister has strongly defended the government's decision to free and repatriate a Libyan warlord wanted by the International Criminal Court.

Meloni described the probe as 'clearly a deliberate act' and that the prosecutor who passed on the complaint to the court was 'not normal'.

Rome's decision to release Osama Almasri Najim drew condemnation from Italian opposition parties, NGOs and the ICC.

Italy's government Wednesday blamed its much-criticised release of a Libyan war crimes suspect on the International Criminal Court (ICC), which it accused of presenting a poorly written arrest warrant.

Carlo Nordio argued that the ICC’s arrest warrant contained contradictions and procedural flaws, leading Italy’s courts to order Ossama al-Masri’s release. View on euronews