Italy warns of crisis as 15,000 refugees arrive

ITALY warned it was facing a refugee and humanitarian emergency, with some 15,000 Tunisians having arrived in recent weeks and fears that the start of US and European airstrikes on Libya could unleash even more migrants.

Interior Minister Roberto Maroni told a news conference that 200 Libyans from the eastern part of the country had arrived overnight in Catania, Sicily, marking the first major influx from Libya to Italy since the revolt began.

But it appeared Maroni’s information was incorrect: Officials from Catania’s port, police, carabinieri and financial police all refused to confirm initial reports on the ANSA news agency that 191 Libyans had arrived.

These officials spoke instead of Egyptians, with Egyptian passports and currency, and subsequent news reports indicated that the Egyptians had told officials they were Libyan so they could obtain refugee status.

Italy has been sending back the vast majority of Tunisians and Egyptians who have arrived in recent weeks, saying they don’t qualify for asylum or refugee status since there are no wars or humanitarian crises in their countries.