India deaths marine quizzed for 3 hrs

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 23 - Salvatore Girone, one of two Italian marine fusiliers under investigation for murder in the 2012 deaths of two fishermen in an anti-piracy mission off southern India in 2012, was questioned for three hours by Rome prosecutors on Friday.
    Gione's defence lawyers said "we are very satisfied, Girone answered the prosecutor's questions.
    "We hope that an acquittal will soon be reached for an affair that has lasted many years".
    The other officer, Massimiliano Latorre, will be questioned on Tuesday, sources said.
    The pair allegedly fired on Jelestine and Ajeesh Pinku after mistaking them for pirates while on duty off the coast of Kerala on the merchant ship Enrica Lexie in February 2012.
    Last month the Indian Supreme Court closed legal proceedings in India against the two marines.
    Last year the International Tribunal of Arbitration ruled in Italy's favour in the case after a long battle over who had jurisdiction and said Italy would have to pay compensation for the loss of life. (ANSA).