ROME -- A letter from an anonymous source was sent to La Repubblica claiming to know the circumstances of Giulio Regeni’s death and blaming General Khaled Shalabi, an official high up in National Security and involved in investigating the Regeni case.  In 2003 he was sentenced by a tribunal in Alexandria for having tortured a man to death and then falsified the police report, but has been reinstated after a suspension of sentence.

 The report was published as Egyptian investigators were due to arrive in Rome Wednesday night to confer with Italian colleagues in a visit that was postponed because of worsening relations between Rome and Cairo.

  “The order to seize Giulio Regeni,” the source was quoted as saying, “was given by General Khaled Shalabi, the head of the Criminal Police force and of the Department of Investigation in Giza.  It was Shalabi, before the kidnapping, who put Regeni’s movement and house under surveillance.”  He then goes on to describe in detail what happened to Giulio Regeni in the days between his disappearance and his body being found semi-nude in a ditch, alongside the Cairo-Alessandria road.

  Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has also spoken publicly again on the case, sending a direct message to the Egyptian authorities. “It’s a story that dealt a great blow, I am struck by the dignity of the family who have been a huge lesson to the world.  We will only stop once we have the whole truth before us, we owe that to Giulio, to his family, and also to each of us.  Our position is clear, hard and strong.  We think and hope that Egypt can collaborate with our magistrates, we have the willingness to read off the same page and we want the truth to be outed.”

  Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni has also added that, “If there’s not a change of pace, the government is prepared to react, adopting immediate and proportionate measures.”

 Renzi's goovernment has dragged its feet on taking tough measures with Egypt, not wanting to jeopardise lucrative energy contracts for the Eni energy giant. However the government has stepped up sabre rattling against Egypt in the face of growing public outrage in Italy.