The Brazilian supreme court
on Tuesday put off till next week its review of the case of
Italian former leftist terrorist Cesare Battisti who is facing
extradition to Italy for four 1970s murders.
The federal supreme court had been expected to rule on
Battisti's lawyers' 'habeas corpus' plea later Tuesday but the
federal prosecutor has now asked for more time to prepare his
case, judicial sources said.
Earlier Tuesday a Brazilian regional court ruled that
Battisti should remain free provided he stays in the area he
lives in and reports to a judge regularly.
Battisti, who lives with a Brazilian woman and their
five-year-old child, said "I won't flee Brazil, I have my home
and my family here".
He said "if I was thinking of fleeing Brazil, would I be
building a house here to live with my family," he said in an
interview with Brasil de Fato from Cananeia, on the Sao Paulo
beachside, where he has settled down.
On Monday Battisti said "the Italian jail officers will kill
me".
Battisti, 62, is wanted in Italy to serve two life terms for
the four murders committed in the 1970s 'Years of Lead' of
rightist and leftist terror.
The supreme court is expected to lift Battisti's
political-refugee status, granted by former president Luiz
Incio Lula da Silva in 2010.
Then the final word would be up to Brazilian President Michel
Temer, who reportedly backs Battisti's extradition.
On October 13 the Brazilian government said Battisti had
betrayed its trust in trying to flee to Bolivia earlier this
month, while Battisti blasted "arrogant" Italy for thinking it
will be easy to extradite him.
Battisti "broke the relationship of trust" with Brazil by
trying to leave the country "without a precise reason" last
week, Justice Minister Torquato Jardim told BBC Brazil.
Caught on his way to Bolivia in a taxi, Jardim said, "he said
he was going to get fishing equipment, but he broke the
relationship of trust because he committed an illegal act and
was leaving the country with money above the permitted limit,
without an apparent motive".
Battisti's extradition to Italy is a "sovereign act" on the
part of the Brazilian government under a bilateral treaty
between the two countries, Jardim told BBC Brasil, confirming
President Temer's intention to send Battisti back.
Italian Justice Minister Andrea Orlando hailed the shift in
Brazil's position on extraditing Battisti as stated by Jardim.
Orlando voiced the hope that extradition would now be carried
out, having made all the necessary moves.
Democratic Party (PD) leader and former premier Matteo Renzi
urged Brazil to "give us back" Battisti.
"Prison is awaiting him," said Renzi.
Battisti told ANSA he didn't think he owed an apology to any
of the relatives of his four murder victims, reiterating his
claim the murders were committed by others.
"All murders are deplorable, but there's no reason for me to
apologise for something that other people committed", he said,
adding that he felt more Brazilian than Italian after almost 10
years spent there as a refugee, and that all there was in Italy
for him were "hate and resentment".
Alberto Torregiani, son of one of the four victims, Milan
jeweler Pierluigi Torregiani, said he would not "rejoice" until
the former terrorist had been extradited from Brazil to Italy.
"My goal is to get justice for myself and for the others," he
said.
Torregiani added that it would be a "turning point" if
Battisti were to "finally" ask forgiveness for the murders he
has been convicted of committing.
The former terrorist told a Brazilian daily Italy is "such an
arrogant country" that "they are convinced it will be an easy
task for them to get me out" of Brazil.
Speaking to Folha de S.Paulo, Battisti said Italy's attitude
towards him was one of "pride and vanity".
Temer has an opportunity to "make a great act of justice and
humanity" towards him in letting him stay on as a political
refugee, Battisti told the Brazilian daily.
"I would like President Temer to become deeply aware of the
situation, also because he has all the judicial and political
instruments to carry out an act of humanity and leave me here"
in Brazil, said Battisti.
Sao Paulo Mayor Joo Doria said after meeting Milan Mayor
Giuseppe Sala in Milan that Battisti is a criminal who must be
extradited.
"Now we have a democratic government in Brazil and we can't
give protection to a criminal. The extradition must be done,"
said Doria.
Battisti, formerly a successful crime writer in France, has
said extradition to Italy would be like "a death sentence".
Battisti, born in the hilltown of Sermoneta south of
Rome, was a member of the leftist militant group Armed
Proletarians for Communism (PAC).
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