Italy minister blasts ‘avalanche of hatred’ towards freed aid worker

Italy Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio on Saturday condemned the “avalanche of hatred” directed towards volunteer aid worker Silvia Romano, who returned home last week after a hostage ordeal that lasted a year and a half.

The young woman is believed to have been abducted by Islamist terrorist militias in south-eastern Kenya in November 2018. She returned to Italy last Sunday following months of negotiations.

When she landed in Rome in a nationally televised affair, Romano was wearing a headscarf and traditional robe. She later confirmed that while in captivity she converted to Islam, according to news agency ANSA.

The 24-year-old’s conversion triggered a wave of abusive criticism by the country’s far-right, with some accusing her of being a traitor and saying that the government should have spent the money allegedly paid in ransom for more important things.

“Paying the ransom for Silvia means financing Islamic terrorists. Who are friends of the girl who became Muslim. Nice operation,” tweeted Vittorio Feltri, director of right-wing newspaper Libero.

Di Maio has repeatedly denied that a ransom has been paid.

“I am convinced that Italy is not like that minority who is behaving in that obscene way against Silvia Romano. Italy is different,” Di Maio told late-night talk show “Che Tempo Che Fa” as he condemned those targeting the woman.

“Those people should be ashamed of themselves for their behaviour towards Silvia Romano this week … I ask myself: Do those people have children?”

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Romano called on supporters not to get angered by the attacks in a Facebook post on her private account that was cited by Italian media.

“I am happy because I have found my loved ones still standing, thank God, despite their great pain,” Romano wrote (dpa)