Unlikely smugglers kidnapped Italians

(ANSA) - Rome, July 23 - 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.