Investigators Investigating the threat of Islamophobia against Italian Volunteers Released from Kidnapping in Kenya

Italian investigators conducted an investigation into the threat of Islamophobia against a humanitarian worker who converted to Islam during a kidnapping in Kenya and returned to his country, Italy after being released.

Judges in Milan, northern Italy have opened an investigation into the case of the threat of Islamophobia that befell Silvia Romano. Police have also stepped up patrols around his house.

Silvia Romano is 23 years old and works as a volunteer in an orphanage in the village of Chakama in southeast Kenya when arrested by gunmen in November 2018.

Reporting from AFP, Italian Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte met with Romano in Rome on Sunday. Romano said that he had converted to Islam during the abduction of his own free will.

Quoted from Anadolu news agency, Romano revealed: "I converted to Islam spontaneously and was not forced. In those months I was given the Koran and thanked my captors, I also learned Arabic, "he said. "They explained their reasons and culture to me. My conversion process has been slow in the past few months. There is no marriage or relationship, only respect. " Italy's deputy foreign minister acknowledged cooperation with Turkey during the rescue operation.

Receive threats

Romano received threats several times. Quoted from AFP, "People like him will be executed by US countries who apply the death penalty," one anonymous post on social media said.

"Have you ever heard of a Jew who, after being released from a concentration camp, then embraced Nazism and returned in an SS uniform?" wrote Simone Angelosante, a member of the regional council for the League's right-wing party, referring to the issue of conversion by Romano. "Am I happy that Silvia Romano has been released? Absolutely not. Now we will have one more Muslim and four million euros less, "writes Massimo Giorgetti, vice president of the northern Veneto region, according to AGI news agency. Giorgetti then deleted the post on his Facebook page.

The four million euros he meant was a circulating issue that Romano was released by kidnappers after the Italian government reached into the state to pay for the abductees.

Ransom

Italian media said that the government paid a ransom to free Romano. Five people including three children were shot and injured during the attack on the orphanage.

The Italian government has denied paying the ransom, but media reports say that between 1.5 and four million euros were paid by the government for the release.

The case has led to criticism that some Italian non-governmental organizations are not ready to deal with threats faced by workers in several countries, the New York Times was quoted as saying.

Source: dw