Jailing of marines hitting anti-piracy efforts
Italy worries that this incident could slow the anti-piracy operation Italy said Wednesday that India's detention of two Italian marines charged with killing two fishermen is damaging the international campaign against Somali pirates.Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi said UN leader Ban Ki-moon shared his "concerns" during talks late Tuesday about fallout from the diplomatic row between Italy and India over the case.An Indian court on Saturday denied bail to the marines.The February 15 incident took place in international waters and the Italians say they mistook the fishermen for pirates.Italy has withdrawn its ambassador to New Delhi for consultations on the case as the two sides battle over the charges and who should have jurisdiction over the marines.Terzi told reporters that with daily attacks on international shipping, "this episode is already having a very, very negative effect on the anti-piracy effort of the international community.""Speaking to other international colleagues, I sense a major concern that this incident could slow the anti-piracy operations."Italy is part of a multinational force that has ships in the Indian Ocean and troops and guards on tankers and other vessels to head off attacks by Somali pirates. The campaign has the backing of the UN Security Council ...
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