Italian court concludes case against CIA

Zambia News.Net
Wednesday 4th November, 2009

Twenty three former US intelligence operatives have been sentenced to eight years in prison in Italy for the kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric from Milan in 2003.

Three other former CIA agents and the former head of Italy's military intelligence service were acquitted in the trial, in which the American defendants were tried in absentia.

It is believed the Italian government will not seek the extradition of the Americans.

The trial revolved around charges the agents had kidnapped terror suspect Osama Moustafa Nasr.

Italian prosecutors told the court that Nasr had been shipped to Egypt, where he was repeatedly tortured in a jail cell near Cairo.

He was later released without charges.

The controversial renditions programs were initiated during the presidency of George W. Bush, who has repeatedly insisted US agents did not transfer prisoners to countries known to practice torture.

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