Secret files into killing of Italian journalist set to be declassified

The Italian government has reportedly authorised the declassification of secret files into the death of TV journalist Ilaria Alpi.

She and her Slovenian cameraman Miran Hrovatin were killed in Somalia in 1994.

Investigators believe it was to stop them revealing an alleged conspiracy to divert Italian aid to weapon and toxic waste trafficking.

The pair were ambushed and shot in their jeep in Mogadishu by a seven-man commando unit on 20 March 1994.

Somali citizen Hashi Omar Hassan was sentenced to 26 years in prison for the double murder.

A parliamentary committee concluded that Alpi and her cameraman died in a botched kidnapping attempt.

But it also said that there were military and diplomatic attempts to suppress some aspects of the case.

Critics said there was not enough evidence to support the claim that Miran and Hrovatin were victims of a kidnapping.