New Brazilian President Jair
Bolsonaro is "only bragging" in saying he can extradited former
leftist terrorist Cesare Battisti to Italy, Battisti said
Wednesday, saying "I am protected" by the Brazilian justice
system.
"Bolsonaro can say what he wants, I'm protected by the
Supreme Court. His are just words, empty bragging. He can't do
anything, there is justice," said the former terrorist.
Battisti said he was "absolutely not worried" by Bolsonaro's
promise to Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.
"I don't think Bolsonaro is interested in creating discord
between the judicial power and the executive...I have no
problems".
Battisti added that he had not been trying to escape in going
to Sao Paulo to see his lawyers and was going back home.
Battisti travelled to Sao Paulo to meet his lawyers Tuesday
and will return to the Carijo district of Cananeia where he
lives in the coming days, his lawyer Igor Tamasauskas told ANSA
earlier Wednesday.
The lawyer was responding to media reports that the former
terrorist had done a bunk.
In a series of messages to ANSA's Sao Paulo office,
Tamasauskas said that after Tuesday's meeting Battisti "told me
he was going to visit some friends and then go back to Cananeia,
without giving me a precise date".
Turin daily La Stampa reported Wednesday that Battisti has
been missing in Brazil since the election of Bolsonaro, who has
vowed to return him to Italy.
"Nobody has seen him since last Monday", the paper reported,
saying Battisti could have left his home after the election of
Bolsonaro, a far-right politician who has promised to extradite
Battisti.
Battisti is wanted to serve out several life sentences for
murders in the so-called 'Years of Lead' of leftist and rightist
terrorism.
The Turin daily quoted some of Battisti's neighbors as saying
that they last saw him on Sunday.
"He was very angry and concerned", according to witnesses
interviewed by La Stampa at a bar near his home in the
residential district of Carijo, close to downtown Cananeia.
Battisti was reportedly finishing to refurbish his home,
where he had moved in April.
Another friend was quoted by La Stampa as saying that
Battisti wanted to "face the consequences" and that he is "tired
of fleeing".
Battisti, whose extradition was formerly halted by
ex-president Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva, has always denied
committing murder.
The director of the tribunal of Cananeia, Anderson
Nascimento, said Battisti is free to move in Brazil as there is
no measure against his free circulation.
Milan daily Il Giornale also reported local police sources as
confirming that Battisti has left the area.
On Monday, Italian Deputy Premier and Interior Minister
Matteo Salvini said he was ready to go to Brazil and get
Battisti if Bolsonaro decided to extradite him to Italy as
promised.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
