Italy promises accused marines will abide by bail conditions

Rome: The Italian government on Thursday expressed “satisfaction” and promised to fulfill all the conditions set by the Indian Supreme Court for allowing marine Salvatore Girone, accused of killing two Indian fishermen, to return home till international arbitration goes on in the case. “Italian marine Salvatore Girone might be going home any day now,” the foreign ministry said in a statement hours after the Indian court relaxed the bail conditions of the accused, allowing him to leave the country. [caption id=“attachment_2794514” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Salvatore Girone and Massimiliano Latorre. PTI[/caption] The Indian court order came in the wake of 29 April ruling of the International Tribunal of Arbitration, asking both India and Italy to cooperate for Girone’s return till arbitration proceedings before it continue. The court, however, added fresh conditions to his bail. He has been asked to surrender his passport once he lands in Italy. The foreign ministry said the Italian government “renews its commitment to comply with the terms and conditions established by the Supreme Court of India”. It said the decision was “an important result that recognises the effort made by the Italian government in resorting to an international arbitration to uphold the reasons of the two Italian Marines. Italy will show the same commitment during the next phases of the arbitration proceeding”. The tribunal in The Hague is holding an international arbitration to decide the question of jurisdiction between India and Italy as to who will try the two Italian marines for the murder of the fishermen during an anti-piracy mission.