Anti-cross judge [Fired] struck off (Italian appeal ready against EU court's ruling)

ANSA ^ | Rome, January 22

[GonzoII]

(ANSA) - Rome, January 22 - An Italian judge who gained headlines for refusing to hear cases with crucifixes in the courtroom was struck off the judiciary roll Friday.

Luigi Tosti, 61, was removed from his job by the Italian judiciary's self-governing body, the Supreme Council of Magistrates (CSM).

The CSM said in its ruling that Tosti, a Jew, was guilty of refusing to do his job in the Marche town of Camerino from May 2005 to January 2006.

Tosti said he would appeal the sentence to Italy's highest court of appeal, the Cassation Court and, failing that, to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg which last year issued a landmark, but non-binding, ruling against crosses in Italian classrooms. "If the Cassation Court agrees with me the CSM's ruling will be quashed. But I would almost be happier if the appeal were rejected and the European Court had to address my case".