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.

Italy's government said Thursday a Libyan police chief arrested on a war crimes warrant was flown home after a court found no basis to detain him -- and he was too dangerous to remain.

Responding to reports of the arrest in Italy of Osama Njeem, long-term member of the Tripoli-based militia Deterrence Apparatus for Combatting Terrorism

The International Criminal Court on Wednesday confirmed it had issued an arrest warrant for the head of Libya's judicial police on war crimes and crimes against humanity charges, a day after Italy released him.

A Libyan warlord was arrested in Italy on an ICC warrant but was expelled back to Libya after a tribunal's refusal to approve the arrest.

Al-Masri had been arrested Sunday in Turin, where he reportedly had attended the Juventus-Milan soccer match the night before. The ICC warrant, dated the day before, accused al-Masri of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Mitiga prison in Libya starting in 2015 that are punishable with life in prison.

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

Njeem is a brigadier general in Libya’s Judicial Police who the ICC said is suspected of crimes against humanity and war crimes at the Mitiga Detention Centre in Tripoli. Meloni’s government depends heavily on Libyan security forces to prevent would-be migrants from leaving the North African nation and heading to southern Italy.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi fielded pointed questions from opposition lawmakers during a Senate session two days after Ossama Anjiem, also known as Ossama al-Masri, was flown on a government plane back to Tripoli,

The International Criminal Court (ICC) expressed its surprise at the Italian authorities' release of the head of the Judicial Police, Osama Njeem, after his arrest at the ICC's request. ICC said in a statement on its official website that the Italian authorities released Njeem suddenly and transferred him to Libya without notifying it.

Italy's interior minister has told lawmakers that he ordered the expulsion of a Libyan warlord sought by the International Criminal Court due to security concerns.