Tripoli Premier Khalifa al-Ghweil
told La7 TV Thursday that he thought it "highly unlikely" that
the kidnapping of four Italian workers in Libya "had any
connection with (migrant) traffickers".
He said: "We think they are criminals who want to disturb
the relations we want to install with Italy," said al-Ghweil,
whose government is not recognised internationally, unlike a
rival government in Tobruk.
The four Italians, who work for a construction company
employed by Italian oil and gas giant Eni, were abducted as they
returned from Tunisia Sunday.
Interior Minister Angelino Alfano on Wednesday appeared to
admit that the kidnappings might be a bartering tool to get
human smugglers released from Italian jails, but later ruled it
out.
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