Italy's opposition today appeared bent on obtaining a parliamentary probe into alleged police brutality during last week's anti-G8 rallies, as Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi prepared for a grilling by legislators.
Italian authorities released 37 German nationals, six French citizens and five Britons who were detained during demonstrations against the Group of Eight (G8) summit in Genoa, leaving three Germans still in custody.
The lower house of parliament's committee for constitutional affairs, dominated by Berlusconi's conservative coalition, turned down an opposition request that parliament investigate allegations of police brutality.
Judicial investigations to shed light on three days of violence are already under way.
Committee chief Donato Bruno of Berlusconi's conservative Forza Italia rejected the opposition demand, arguing that parliament would discuss an opposition no-confidence motion against Interior Minister Claudio Scajola on August 3rd.
Opposition leaders have warned they may bypass the rejection by submitting a bill that would force parliament to address what one deputy called "serious facts".
"Given the international reactions (to the violence), the Italian parliament cannot just stand by," said deputy Antonio Soda of the social democrat DS party.
Leftwing senators argued that with hundreds of foreigners wounded setting up an international fact-finding panel on the riots was not merely an issue of internal politics.
"Italy owes it to its European allies and friends to uncover the truth," senators Tana de Zulueta and Fausto Giovanelli said in a joint statement.
AFP