The government attributed the release to procedural reasons. But critics say it is because Italy depends on Libya to stem the flow of migrants from Africa.

Ossama Anjiem, who runs a major Libyan prison, was in Italy to watch a soccer match. He returned home after an Italian court found issues with the warrant for his arrest.

Italian media reports and a Libyan official say police in Turin have arrested a Libyan warlord wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes.

Italian authorities released the director of a notorious detention camp who had been arrested in Turin on an ICC war crimes warrant.

Opposition parties and NGOs are demanding the Italian government explain why the director of Libya's notorious Mitiga prison was not jailed.

A senior member of Libya's judicial police has been given a hero's welcome back home after Italy unexpectedly released him from jail just two days after arresting him on a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The head of Libya's judicial police has been arrested after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant over war crimes allegations, media reports say. Osama Najim, who directs Tripoli's Mitiga detention centre, was reportedly arrested on Sunday in the Italian city of Turin.