A Brazilian supreme court
judge has ordered the arrest of Cesare Battisti, a former
leftwing terrorist who Italy wants extradited.
According to the judge, there is a danger that Battisti could
try to take flight.
Battisti, however, is not at his home in the Brazilian city
of Cananeia, some of his neighbours told reporters outside the
property on Friday.
Battisti's lawyer in Brazil Igor Tamasauskas refused to
comment, telling ANSA that he had learned about the ruling from
the media.
"Our request has been accepted," said Italian Justice
Minister Alfonso Bonafede on Friday.
"But we will only be satisfied when Battisti is extradited to
Italy".
Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro told Italian Deputy
Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini that he would help
with regard to the case.
"Thank you for the consideration you have always give Mr
Italian Interior Minister," Bolsonaro said in reply to a tweet
by Salvini about the case.
"Everything will be normalized in a short period of time in
the case of this terrorist assassin who is defended by his
Brazilian comrades. Count on us!".
Battisti is wanted to serve out several life sentences for
murders in the so-called 'Years of Lead' of leftist and rightist
terrorism in the 1970s and 80s.
Battisti, whose extradition was formerly halted by
ex-president Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva, has always denied
committing murder.
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