An Egyptian teenager that raised the alarm after his school bus was hijacked and later set on fire in Milan is to be granted Italian citizenship, according to authorities.
ANSA news agency quoted Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini as referring to the 13-year-old, Ramy Shehata, as his “son,” as he confirmed the citizenship.
“Yes to citizenship for Ramy because it’s as if he were my son and he showed he understood the values of this country,” Salvini said.
Shehata was hailed a hero by his fellow classmates last week after he hid his mobile phone to contact police after his school bus was hijacked.
The hijacking was carried out by 47-year-old Ousseynou Sy, a Senagalese national with Italian citizenship, in protest against Italy’s migration policies.
No serious injuries were reported among the 51 student aboard the bus.
Ramy’s father, Kahlid, told reporters that while his son was born in Italy, he did not have Italian nationality.
“We’re Egyptians,” Khalid Shehata said. “I arrived in Italy in 2001, my son was born here in 2005 but we’re still waiting for the official document.”
