Italian officer on patrol craft donated to Libya, 'We are hostages in Tripoli'

In an exclusive interview, published in today's edition of Italian daily 'La Repubblica', an officer from the Guardia di Finanza has spoken about his, and his colleagues ordeal aboard Italian vessels that were donated by Rome to the Libyan government, originally intended to stop the flow of illegal immigration.

The 45 year-old officer spoke in the wake of a serious incident that is dominating the political scene and the press in Rome, after one of the four Italian boats donated to Libya intercepted a Sicilian trawler, allegedly within Libyan waters.

The patrol craft repeatedly opened fire on the trawler and attempted to ram it for miles at sea, until the fishermen managed to make it safely to the island of Lampedusa.

"On board the patrol craft we are a mixed crew of Italians and Libyans. They steer and command the boats, while we are totally impotent and cannot do anything,": the officer said, adding that what happened at sea last Sunday was "shocking, as we knew they were shooting at Italians like us."

The officer described the Libyan officers as "rude and arrogant," adding also that they act "irresponsibly" at sea.

He explained that he and his colleagues are housed in a hotel that is surrounded by high walls and they are only allowed to leave the place when they are collected to go out to sea.

The officer also spoke about the numerous patrols at sea off the Libyan coast where hundreds of illegal immigrants are bing intercepted and returned to Libya. "What they go through at the hands of the Libyans cannot be explained," he said.

Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini is today expected to appear before parliament and relate about the incident.

The issue has rocked Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government once again, as coalition members and opposition parties have expressed anger at the way the 'Italo-Libyan Treaty' is turning out to be.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi visited Italy three weeks ago.