Massimiliano Latorre, an Italian
marine cleared Monday by a Rome judge of murdering two Indian
fishermen in 2012 along with his fellow marine Salvatore Girone,
said Tuesday it was his first day as a free man and free soldier
after the long legal ordeal.
"Today, February 1, I woke up for the first time as a free Man
and Soldier," Latorre said on social media.
"I asked myself so many times if I would have the good fortune
to relish the joy I am feeling, but today I can rejoice and
savour this happiness, which I never felt before, given the
health conditions I returned to Italy in in September 2014," he
said, referring to serious problems following a stroke.
A Rome preliminary investigations judge (GIP) on Monday
acquitted the two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian
fishermen off India after mistaking them for pirates in 2012.
The GIP's ruling had been expected after prosecutors in December
asked the charges against Girone and Latorre to be dropped in
the deaths of Valentine Jelastine and Ajeesh Pink.
The marines were doing anti-piracy duty aboard the merchant ship
Enrica Lexie in February 2012 off the coast of Kerala, southern
India, when they fired on the Indian fishing boat.
The GIP ruled, like the prosecutors, that they acted while
respecting the rules of engagement.
He said they were convinced they were under assault from
pirates.
In 2020 Italy got jurisdiction in the case after a long wrangle
with India.
A Hague tribunal ordered the payment of 1.1 million euros to the
fishermen's families last June.
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