ROME — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni disclosed that she is under formal judicial investigation for aiding and abetting a war criminal related to Italy's release and exfiltration from Italy by Italian government jet of a Libyan police chief nicknamed the 'Tripoli torturer' and wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).  

 In a video message posted to Meloni's social media accounts Tuesday, the Prime Minister said the Roman prosecutor's office also was investigating  Italian Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio, Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, and Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano.

 Meloni distanced herself from, and defended, Italy's decision to release 47-year-old Osama Elmasry Najeem, a Libyan national and feared police chief whom the ICC accused in a warrant of torture, rape, and murder of detainees in Tripoli prisons.

 The ICC "curiously" released its warrant "precisely when this person is about to enter Italian territory after he had calmly spent about 12 days in three other European states," Meloni said. I

 Italian police arrested Najeem after he traveled from Germany to Turin on Jan. 19. On Jan. 21, a Rome appeals court ruled to free him, citing breach of protocol. Meloni claimed in her video that the ICC's warrant "was not transferred to the Italian Ministry of Justice as is required."

 "I do not get intimidated," said Meloni in her message, "and it is possible that for that reason I am hated by those who do not want Italy to change and become better."

 A three-judge panel has 90 days to conduct the investigation against Meloni, her undersecretary, and the two ministers, before either dismissing the case against them or petitioning Parliament for authorization to proceed. 

 "I go ahead on my path," said Meloni, "head high, and without fear."

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