Libya Still Holds 3 Priests, Italian Embassy Reports
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TRIPOLI, Libya — A Libyan Revolutionary Committee released the head of Libya’s Roman Catholic community and an Italian nun but retained custody of three priests on unknown charges, Italian officials said Sunday.
Officials at the Italian Embassy said the nun and Bishop Giovanni Martinelli were freed Saturday in the port city of Benghazi and were in good health. They said Martinelli will return Monday to Tripoli.
The Vatican announced last week that all five detainees were set free, but other reports from Libya said they remained under house arrest.
The three priests were arrested April 11 with the bishop and the nun. Libyan officials indicated that suspicion of espionage was involved.
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