Court will decide on Italian marines issue, India's External Affairs Minister

Kochi (Kerala, India), Apr 3 (PTI) India has made it clear that the case of two Italian Marines who shot dead two fishermen will be decided only by the court, notwithstanding Italy's warning that New Delhi was setting a "dangerous" precedent by holding their trial in this country. New Delhi's reiteration Monday came on a day as a court in Kollam in the southern Indian state of Kerala extended for 14 days the judicial remand of the Italian ship Enrico Lexies's two marines, charged with gunning down the two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15. External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, who held discussions with Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in Kochi, also said that the central Indian government will not go beyond Kerala government's stand on detention of the two Italians. "We had detailed discussions focussing on two issues. Two innocent fishermen died for no fault of theirs .... First the marines were in police custody, then in judicial custody. Court will ultimately decide how this impasse can be resolved," the minister told reporters after his meeting. Assuring that central government was not inclined to go beyond Kerala's stand, he said, "The State government should be satisfied (on the issue)." Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti had spoken to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month on the issue after which an Italian statement said that he had warned against India setting a "dangerous precedent" with the prosecution of two Italian Marines in Kerala. The killing of two fishermen from Kerala off Kollam coast on February 15 had sparked a diplomatic row between India and Italy, which wanted the marines to be tried in their country. The remand of marines Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone has been extended by another 14 days. They were produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate A K Gopakumar of Kollam after being brought from the central prison in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram where they are lodged. The naval guards were arrested on February 19 and charged with murder of fishermen Valentine Jalastine and Ajesh Binki, who had put out to sea from Neendakara in Kollam. PTI