AUTHORITIES in eastern Congo have arrested two men in connection with the killing of the Italian ambassador and two others nearly a year ago, though police said Tuesday that the prime suspect remains at large.

Gen. Aba Van Ang, the commissioner of the police in North Kivu province, said that rebels had killed Ambassador Luca Attanasio in a botched attempt to kidnap him for ransom.

The suspects, who were presented to the province’s military governor in front of journalists Tuesday, apparently had planned to seek more than US$1 million in ransom, authorities said.

Instead the 43-year-old ambassador was fatally shot along with Carabiniere paramilitary officer Vittorio Iacovacci and a U.N. World Food Program driver, Moustapha Milambo.

It was not immediately known when the arrests took place or when a trial might begin. The chief suspect in the ambassador’s killing, identified only as a man named Aspirant, remains at large, police said.

On Tuesday, police also presented four other men accused of attacking other humanitarian workers in the region.

Italy has formally asked the United Nations for an inquiry into what happened amid questions about whether the U.N. security arrangements were sufficient for the mission.

The U.N. has said the road had been cleared for travel without security escorts or armored vehicles.

The convoy was traveling from Goma to Rutshuru, where the ambassador was to visit a project feeding students at a school.(SD-Agencies)