India allows Italian marines home for X-mas

An Indian court yesterday allowed two Italian marines awaiting trial for shooting two fishermen to go home for Christmas, despite prosecution fears that they will not return.
The marines shot dead the fishermen off India's southwestern coast near the port city of Kochi in February while guarding an Italian oil tanker, but they deny murder on the grounds that they mistook their victims for pirates.
Judge P Bhavadasan of the Kerala state high court relaxed the bail conditions and said the marines should "pledge a bank guarantee for 60 million rupees ($1.1 million) and should return to Kochi on or before January 10".