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.

The reaction came after the Italian government on Tuesday released and sent back home Ossama Anjiem, also known as Ossama al-Masri.

Italy's interior minister said on Thursday a Libyan man detained under an international war crimes arrest warrant and then unexpectedly released had been swiftly repatriated because of his "social dangerousness".