ROME -- Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi resigned Tuesday, saying he opposed bowing to India over the trial of two Italian marines accused of shooting Indian fishermen.

 Terzi said he had opposed caretaker Prime Minister Mario Monti's decision to send the two marines back to India to stand trial for the shooting incident, which has become a political football in India. Italy announced earlier this year the marines would stay in Italy but Rome reversed itself amd ordered the two marines to return to Delhi after India retaliated by saying the Italian Ambassador would not bea llowed to leave the country.

 The plight of the marines, who were deployed on an Italian merchant convoy on anti-piracy duty when they allegedly fired at the fishing boat that was approaching a merchant ship, has been exploited in Italy by the centre-right opposition coalition of Silvio Berlsuconi beating a nationalist drum.

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