Italy recalls ambassador to New Delhi for consultations Tension over case of marines accused of killing fishermen

(ANSA) - Rome, May 18 - Italy has recalled its ambassador to New Delhi for consultations amid tension with India over the case of two Italian anti-piracy marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen in February.The foreign ministry said on Friday that Giacomo Sanfelice had been recalled after police filed charges that included homocide against Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone.The Italian authorities are also displeased that the marines look set to stay in jail for another three weeks even though the three-month detainment period allowed by the Indian judicial system expires Saturday.Indian Police and prison authorities in the southern state of Kerala said on Thursday that the pair would not be moved from a special section of a jail in the southern city of Thiruvananthapuram for 20 days because they need time to prepare a facility for them in the port of Kochi.There have been reports that the delay may be down to Kerala authorities wanting to put off what would be an unpopular decision with the public there until after local elections.The marines have been at the centre of a diplomatic row between Italy and India since being detained in February after an incident that took place while they were guarding the Enrica Lexie tanker.India says they mistook the two fishermen from the southern state of Kerala, Jelestine Valentine and Ajesh Binki, for pirates.The Indian supreme court is considering Italy's claim that it should have jurisdiction for the case, not India, as the incident took place aboard an Italian vessel in international waters.The Italian government also believes that, regardless of who has jurisdiction, the marines should be exempt from prosecution in India as they were military personnel working on an anti-piracy mission.Italy has said the marines fired warning shots from the Lexie after coming under attack from pirates.It said they followed the proper international procedures for dealing with pirate attacks, which are frequent in the Indian Ocean.The Indian authorities, on the other hand, said the marines failed to show sufficient "restraint" by opening fire after mistaking the fishermen for pirates.Indian ballistic experts said last month that the bullets recovered from the bodies of fishermen are compatible with Beretta rifles confiscated from the tanker.Italy has requested another ballistics test.Lawyers representing the pair have presented an appeal against a court's decision last week to turn down their application for bail.