Helmy speaks out on Regeni accusations

(ANSA) - Rome, February 10 - Egyptian Ambassador to Italy Amr Helmy in an interview Wednesday on state broadcaster RAI Radio said murdered Italian student Giulio Regeni was never under Egyptian police custody, and that current accusations "without proof" against Egyptian security forces could damage relations between the two countries. "We're not so naive as to kill a young Italian and throw away his body the day of Minister Guidi's visit to Cairo," Helmy said.
    Industry Minister Federica Guidi was visiting Cairo on February 3 when Regeni's body was found in a ditch in the city's outskirts.
    "I hope the truth comes out as soon as possible. We don't have anything to hide," Helmy said.
    Regeni was a visiting scholar at the American University in Cairo, conducting research for his thesis and reporting on Egyptian trade unions for leftwing Rome-based paper il manifesto. He went missing on January 25, the anniversary of the uprising that led to Hosni Mubarak's ouster in 2011.
    His body was found with signs of torture including two clipped ears, a torn-out fingernail and toenail and cuts all over including on the soles of the feet.