ROME -- The father of a murdered Italian ambassador spoke out against the WFP "blackmailing" Italy after a preliminary court upheld diplomatic immunity for two World Food Programme employees allegedly responsible for his son’s death, meaning they will not have to stand trial for their alleged responsibility for the death. Salvatore Attanasio criticised the Italian state and the government after a ruling said the two suspects involved in his son’s murder could not be prosecuted, because they were employees of the World Food Programme (WFP) and thus had UN immunity.

 Luca Attanasio was the Italian Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo when he was killed alongside Vittorio Iacovacci and Mustapha Milambo in an ambush in eastern Congo on Feb. 22, 2021. The two accused, Rocco Leone and Mansour Rwagaza, allegedly falsified the travel documents of the mission in the east of the country, which meant the convey proceeded without the necessary armed escort and strengthened protection. Rwagaza is currently untraceable.

 The ruling on Tuesday stated that even though the suspects' names were not on lists provided by the UN, it was safe to assume that as employees of a UN agency they would have functional immunity.

 Salvatore Attanasio told the Fatto Quotidiano that the judge chose the “easy way out” and that the decision left “a lot of bitterness.” He also criticised the “absence of the State at the trial” and stated he believed that had an influence on the outcome.

 He said there was a “profound inconsistency between words and deeds” in the Italian government’s actions. Attanasio explained that Alfredo Mantovano, Undersecretary of Presidency of the Council of Ministers, had previously said he would ask for the suspects’ immunity to be waived, however on Tuesday, the defence revealed he never asked in the three years since the murder. Attanasio said he only learnt of Mantovano’s failure to ask during the hearing on Tuesday.

 Attanasio described this case as proof of the “weakness of the Italian State in the face of strong powers” and said that the State was allowing itself to be “blackmailed” by the UN and its agencies. He also called Italy a “state without courage” which will “always be subservient to others” if it does not try to find justice for his son.

 Meloni came under fire, who he called out for hypocrisy surrounding her ideals of “homeland and patriots.” Attanasio described his son as a “patriot” who was always “ready to defend Italy and Italianness”, pointing out that Luca was a “representative of the State who died in the line of duty.” He implored Meloni to find the “courage” to “explain the State’s behaviour” and said if she did not then she had “no right to speak of a homeland.”

 Attanasio also highlighted the fact that when Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, did not pay a visit to Luca’s grave when he was campaigning in the municipality where the ambassador is buried. He said this act showed the “total insensitivity” of the government and that they showed no dignity or respect towards one of their officials.

 Lombardy passed a motion on Feb. 6 asking the government to commit to the case. Attanasio said that this was an “important” move and that he hoped other regions would follow suit to place pressure on the government to stop acting as if nothing happened, “otherwise it is not a State.”

 The Prosecutor’s Court has already confirmed it plans to appeal the decision made by the judge on Tuesday. There is currently a separate line of investigation ongoing in Luca Attanasio’s murder, which is looking into the possibility that it was not just a “kidnapping” gone wrong.

 Salvatore Attanasio said he believes that his son “deserves a little more respect.” Not just the respect that is given with “medal and awards”, but instead a respect that comes with “the search for truth, principals and culprits.”

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