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Relatives complain over delay in burying Italian victim of US drone strike Relatives complain over delay in burying Italian victim of US drone strike
(about 2 hours later)
The family of Giovanni Lo Porto, the Italian hostage who was accidentally killed in a US drone strike against al-Qaida in January, have been subjected to a bureaucratic nightmare after the task of transporting the aid worker’s remains from Rome to Sicily was put up for public auction.The family of Giovanni Lo Porto, the Italian hostage who was accidentally killed in a US drone strike against al-Qaida in January, have been subjected to a bureaucratic nightmare after the task of transporting the aid worker’s remains from Rome to Sicily was put up for public auction.
The city of Palermo announced on Wednesday that it had identified a funeral home that would bring Lo Porto’s body from Rome to Palermo and perform his burial, after a plot was made available at a local cemetery.The city of Palermo announced on Wednesday that it had identified a funeral home that would bring Lo Porto’s body from Rome to Palermo and perform his burial, after a plot was made available at a local cemetery.
Tensions between city officials and Lo Porto’s family erupted this week after his brother, Daniele, expressed dismay at the length of time it was taking to retrieve Lo Porto’s body from Rome, where his remains were positively identified by a DNA test. He accused the Palermo mayor, Leoluca Orlando, of not setting aside enough funds for a proper funeral.Tensions between city officials and Lo Porto’s family erupted this week after his brother, Daniele, expressed dismay at the length of time it was taking to retrieve Lo Porto’s body from Rome, where his remains were positively identified by a DNA test. He accused the Palermo mayor, Leoluca Orlando, of not setting aside enough funds for a proper funeral.
“The city of Palermo has allocated only €2,000 for the transport and funeral. It’s not enough money to bring him from the capital and give him a funeral,” Daniele Lo Porto told the Giornale di Sicilia, a local newspaper. “The local authorities said they would think of everything and instead my brother is still in the Department of Forensic Medicine in Rome.”“The city of Palermo has allocated only €2,000 for the transport and funeral. It’s not enough money to bring him from the capital and give him a funeral,” Daniele Lo Porto told the Giornale di Sicilia, a local newspaper. “The local authorities said they would think of everything and instead my brother is still in the Department of Forensic Medicine in Rome.”
Orlando denied that the city was dragging its feet. He said the public tender to transport the remains had been initiated last Friday when city officials received the green light from a prosecutor in Rome to move Lo Porto’s body.Orlando denied that the city was dragging its feet. He said the public tender to transport the remains had been initiated last Friday when city officials received the green light from a prosecutor in Rome to move Lo Porto’s body.
The mayor also denied that “economic problems” had hindered the effort, and said the city had demonstrated “great solidarity” with the family.The mayor also denied that “economic problems” had hindered the effort, and said the city had demonstrated “great solidarity” with the family.
Although several funeral operators had offered to perform the service for free, the city said public contract law would not have allowed it to be done without compensation.Although several funeral operators had offered to perform the service for free, the city said public contract law would not have allowed it to be done without compensation.
Lo Porto’s death in a drone strike near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border was announced by Barack Obama in April, months after the incident occurred.Lo Porto’s death in a drone strike near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border was announced by Barack Obama in April, months after the incident occurred.
The US embassy in Rome declined to comment on the funeral matter, referring any questions to Italian authorities. The Italian foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.The US embassy in Rome declined to comment on the funeral matter, referring any questions to Italian authorities. The Italian foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
Related: Giovanni Lo Porto, killed in US drone strike, was ‘incredibly loyal’ friendRelated: Giovanni Lo Porto, killed in US drone strike, was ‘incredibly loyal’ friend
The Italian was an aid worker for a German NGO called Welthungerhilfe when he was kidnapped in Pakistan in 2012. The White House said Lo Porto and another hostage, American Warren Weinstein, were killed by mistake during an airstrike against an al-Qaida compound near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.The Italian was an aid worker for a German NGO called Welthungerhilfe when he was kidnapped in Pakistan in 2012. The White House said Lo Porto and another hostage, American Warren Weinstein, were killed by mistake during an airstrike against an al-Qaida compound near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
At the time, Obama praised Lo Porto’s acts of humanitarianism, which took him to the Central African Republic, Haiti, and Pakistan. At the time, Obama praised Lo Porto’s acts of humanitarianism, which took him to the Central African Republic, Haiti and Pakistan.
The US president also said he took “full responsibility” for the deaths. While the news created a brief controversy in Italy - the Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, was apparently not told about the drone strike even though he had visited with Obama days earlier - the Italian government blamed al-Qaida for the deaths. The US president also said he took “full responsibility” for the deaths. While the news created a brief controversy in Italy – the Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, was apparently not told about the drone strike even though he had visited with Obama days earlier – the Italian government blamed al-Qaida for the deaths.
The failure by US intelligence officials to identify that hostages were present at the al-Qaida location at the time of the strike is being investigated by the Central Intelligence Agency. The failure by US intelligence officials to identify that hostages were present at the al-Qaida location at the time of the strike is being investigated by the CIA.
According to a recent report in the Washington Post, the CIA knew that a western hostage was being held by the al-Qaida terror group but did not keep that person under drone surveillance. Citing US officials, the newspaper said that the lapse in surveillance was being investigated as part of an internal probe into the death of Weinstein.According to a recent report in the Washington Post, the CIA knew that a western hostage was being held by the al-Qaida terror group but did not keep that person under drone surveillance. Citing US officials, the newspaper said that the lapse in surveillance was being investigated as part of an internal probe into the death of Weinstein.