Italian Foreign Minister
Paolo Gentiloni on Thursday downplayed reports that al-Qaeda
Islamist terror group has abducted two Italians in Libya.
"We have no knowledge of al-Qaeda being behind the
kidnapping of our two fellow nationals," Gentiloni told
reporters in New York.
"At this time we are not able to confirm or deny" a
statement by a spokesperson for the Libyan forces loyal to
Tobruk General Khalifa Haftar.
"It is essential that we let investigators do their job
with maximum confidentiality," Gentiloni added.
"The two Italians kidnapped in south-west Libya were
abducted by a criminal gang and behind them is al-Qaeda's
fingerprint," Colonel Ahmed al Mismari told the Alwasat website
earlier today.
Bruno Cacace, a 56-year-old from Borgo San Dalmazzo, near
Cuneo, and Danilo Calonego, a 66-year-old from the province of
Belluno, were abducted three days ago along with a Canadian
colleague by armed men near the southern Libyan city of Ghat,
near the Algerian border.
All three work for a company that performed maintenance
operations at Ghat airport - Con.I.Cos, which is based in
Mondovi', near the northern Italian city of Cuneo.
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