Mama Bear
02-17-2007, 01:17 AM
http://www.nbc5.com/news/11032311/detail.html?treets=chi&tid=2656989854813&tml=chi_12pm&tmi=chi_12pm_1_12150302162007&ts=H
ROME -- Twenty-six Americans, all but one of them identified as CIA agents, have been indicted by an Italian judge in the first criminal trial over the CIA's extraordinary rendition program.
The case involves the alleged kidnapping of terrorist suspect Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr from a Milan street on Feb. 17, 2003.
Prosecutors allege that five Italian intelligence officials worked with the Americans to abduct Nasr. He was allegedly transferred by vehicle to the Aviano Air Force base near Venice and then by air to the Ramstein Air Base in Germany and on to Egypt.
All but one of the American suspects have been identified as CIA agents, including the former station chiefs in Rome and Milan.
One indicted American is a U.S. Air Force officer who was stationed at the time at Aviano. Five Italians have also been indicted in the case. The judge set the trial date for June 8.
It was unlikely that the CIA agents would be turned over for trial abroad. The CIA has refused to comment on the case.
Prosecutors said the alleged kidnapping operation was a breach of Italian sovereignty that compromised Italy's own anti-terrorism efforts.
Nasr was under investigation for terrorism-related activities at the time of his abduction, and Milan prosecutors issued a warrant for his arrest more than two years after he disappeared from Milan, while he was in Egyptian custody.
Nasr, who allegedly was tortured during four years' imprisonment in Egypt, was released earlier this week from jail. His lawyer in Egypt said in an interview on Italian state TV that he wants to return to Italy, where he had been granted the status of political refugee.
ROME -- Twenty-six Americans, all but one of them identified as CIA agents, have been indicted by an Italian judge in the first criminal trial over the CIA's extraordinary rendition program.
The case involves the alleged kidnapping of terrorist suspect Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr from a Milan street on Feb. 17, 2003.
Prosecutors allege that five Italian intelligence officials worked with the Americans to abduct Nasr. He was allegedly transferred by vehicle to the Aviano Air Force base near Venice and then by air to the Ramstein Air Base in Germany and on to Egypt.
All but one of the American suspects have been identified as CIA agents, including the former station chiefs in Rome and Milan.
One indicted American is a U.S. Air Force officer who was stationed at the time at Aviano. Five Italians have also been indicted in the case. The judge set the trial date for June 8.
It was unlikely that the CIA agents would be turned over for trial abroad. The CIA has refused to comment on the case.
Prosecutors said the alleged kidnapping operation was a breach of Italian sovereignty that compromised Italy's own anti-terrorism efforts.
Nasr was under investigation for terrorism-related activities at the time of his abduction, and Milan prosecutors issued a warrant for his arrest more than two years after he disappeared from Milan, while he was in Egyptian custody.
Nasr, who allegedly was tortured during four years' imprisonment in Egypt, was released earlier this week from jail. His lawyer in Egypt said in an interview on Italian state TV that he wants to return to Italy, where he had been granted the status of political refugee.