THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (India), June 2: Two Italian marines accused of murdering two Indian fishermen were in court on Saturday for a preliminary hearing in a case that has caused a diplomatic row, as Rome called for their return.

The two marines, who are out on bail, deny murder and say they mistook the fishermen for pirates as they guarded an Italian oil tanker.

Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, who shot dead the fishermen on Feb 15, appeared in the lower court in Kollam, in the state of Kerala.

The court fixed June 18 for the next hearing and directed the state government to provide a list of interpreters “for the benefit of the accused”, a news agency reported.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti expressed “great satisfaction” that the marines had been granted bail at an earlier hearing. “But the final outcome, for which we have worked with determination, is the return of our marines to Italy,” he said.—AFP