(ANSA) - Rome, May 2 - Francesco Paolo Giordano, the chief prosecutor of the Sicilian city of Siracusa, told the Senate defence committee Tuesday that his office had no evidence of links between NGOs involved in migrant-rescue operations in the Mediterranean and traffickers. "Our office does not have anything regarding alleged underhand, polluting links between NGOs, or parts of them, and migrant traffickers. No investigative elements," he said. Catania Prosecutor Carmelo Zuccaro caused controversy last week by saying that some NGOs could be financed by traffickers.

Medical-aid charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said Tuesday that NGOs involved in migrant-rescue operations in the Mediterranean have been the victim of mud-slinging in relation to alleged links to traffickers. "We are indignant. There has been a manipulative campaign," Stefano Argenziano, MSF's migrations programme director, told a press conference at the Lower House organised by the Italian Left (SI) party. "We have nothing to hide but we are witnessing a constant repetition of accusations and inferences not supported by any evidence".

Monsignor Giancarlo Perego, the director of Migrantes, the migrants foundation of the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI), on Tuesday blasted politicians who picked up on the alleged links between some NGOs involved in rescues and traffickers. "It is right that the prosecutors and the judiciary are vigilant... so that migrants don't become two-fold victims," Perego said. "But the indistinct political fire on the nine NGOs that operate in the Mediterranean to save human lives ... was a hypocritical and shameful act".

