Italian marines will face Indian law: Krishna

External affairs minister S M Krishna today said the decision on how to pursue the case against two Italian naval personnel who shot two Indian fishermen should be left to the centre and Kerala government; clearly hinting that the culprits will not be handed over to Italy without due judicial process.

Italy has been pressing India to allow the case, where the two navy security guards are charged with murder, to be taken out of a Kerala trial court. It has also moved the Kerala high court for quashing the murder charges against the marines in the killing of the fishermen off the Kerala coast on 15 February.

Italy has been trying to bring home its marines on the specious argument that they mistook the fishermen in a small, low-powered boat to be pirates about to board MV Enrica Lexie, the oil tanker they were guarding; and hence opened pre-emptive fire.

It also claims the incident took place in international waters and hence is outside India's jurisdiction. India on the other hand insists that it happened within its maritime boundaries.

Showing the depth of Italy's concern over the trigger-happy soldiers, its deputy foreign minister Steffan de Mistura arrived in Delhi on Wednesday and met his Indian counterpart Preneet Kaur as well as Kerala chief minister Oomen Chandy to thrash out the issue.

While there was no immediate resolution, Italy today made a conditional offer to cooperate with the Indian investigating agencies. It has said it will assist in forensic and other examinations provided these are carried out in their presence.