Judge Emanuele Cersosimo alleged that the pair may have been deliberately killed to prevent the reporting of a high-level conspiracy to divert Italian aid to an organization trafficking in weapons and toxic waste, ANSA reported Monday.

Cersosimo rejected a prosecutor's request to declare the case closed .

"From a thorough analysis of all the evidence gathered so far, the most probable and reasonable reconstruction of the case appears to be that of a contract killing," said the judge.

Alpi, 32, and Hrovatin, 45, were shot while sitting in their jeep in Mogadishu by a seven-man commando unit.