Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2010
 |  Follow Newser on Twitter   Friend Newser on Facebook   Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds   Subscribe to Newser emails Newsletters


7

Italy Convicts CIA Agents of Kidnapping

2003 case is first to challenge practice of extraordinary rendition

Share

(AP) – An Italian judge today convicted 23 Americans of the 2003 kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric on a Milan street, in a landmark case involving the CIA's extraordinary rendition program in the war on terrorism. Judge Oscar Magi acquitted three other Americans, citing diplomatic immunity. Former Milan CIA station chief Robert Seldon Lady received the stiffest sentence, eight years in prison. The other 22 each received a five-year sentence. All were tried in absentia.

All but one of the Americans were identified by prosecutors as CIA agents. Their lawyers entered innocent pleas on their behalf, and they are considered fugitives from Italian justice. They were convicted of kidnapping Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr and transferring him to US bases in Italy and Germany. He was then moved to Egypt, where he says he was tortured. Nasr was released after four years in prison without being charged.

Prosecutor Armando Spataro speaks in a Milan court, Italy, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009.
Prosecutor Armando Spataro speaks in a Milan court, Italy, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Italian Judge Oscar Magi, seen at the Milan court, Italy, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009.
Italian Judge Oscar Magi, seen at the Milan court, Italy, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
2.9.10
It’s the Sex, Stupid   
2.8.10
For Me, Palin Scores
7 comments
VIEWING:
 
Observer
Nov 4, 09 11:31 AM CST
Good. Now try and capture these criminals. Our sanctimonious Feds will cry for justice. While they sanction more killings every day. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+2
Face-Of-RNC
Nov 4, 09 12:40 PM CST
This practice just levels more guns at Americans. 4 years in prison without even being charged. No wonder we are so hated. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+6
AmazedByTheSheeple
Nov 4, 09 1:38 PM CST
It is about time the world stands up and reminds everyone that laws apply to EVERYONE and if you break it you will be found guilty. Write Italy and thank them, write the press and tell them to report how much ILLEGAL AND ANTI AMERICAN the CIA is and write the White House and tell Obama to hand over those thugs. If we convicted someone from another nation and their government would not hand them over we would force the criminals to be handed over or we would invade the country. We have to be held to the same standards. Those people need to be in jail and we need to follow our Constitution and international law. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+4
JonmarkP
Nov 4, 09 3:02 PM CST
It's pathetic that we have to depend on other countries to do the housecleaning we should be doing ourselves. Land of the free, home of the brave. lol Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+3
logothete
Nov 4, 09 4:07 PM CST
I've got a feeling this is why the Bush US refused to sign on to the International Court - they knew it'd come back and bite 'em on the ass. Didn't help, though - more and more countries, like Spain, Belgium and Italy, are developing "long-reach" statutes. They'll get them in the end - unless we shake off our sloth and get them ourselves. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+1

View all 7 comments »

LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

25 Stories

 CIA's Key Shadow Ally: Jordan 

Afghan bombing spotlights Amman's pivotal counterterrorism role

Jan 4, 10 6:58 AM CST

CIA's Key Shadow Ally: Jordan

Afghan bombing spotlights Amman's pivotal counterterrorism role

(Newser) - The death of a Jordanian intelligence operative alongside seven CIA agents in last week's bombing of a CIA facility in Afghanistan offered an unusually visible sign of Jordan's emerging role as a low-profile but crucial US counterterrorism ally. Since 9/11, the Middle Eastern nation's role in the fight against Islamic... More »

 CIA Had File on 
 Detroit Bomber 
 for a Month, 
 Didn't Share 

Agency wrote report after debriefing Abdulmutallab's dad

Dec 30, 09 7:56 AM CST

CIA Had File on Detroit Bomber for a Month, Didn't Share

Agency wrote report after debriefing Abdulmutallab's dad

(Newser) - The "intelligence community" agency that President Obama said fumbled security in the Detroit bomb plot was apparently the CIA, which compiled a report on Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab after speaking to his father but sat on the file for 5 weeks instead of circulating it to other agencies, reports CNN.... More »


 First US Citizen 
 Sues Feds 
 for Rendition 

NJ man alleges interrogation, coercion in Somalia, Egypt

Nov 11, 09 9:06 AM CST

First US Citizen Sues Feds for Rendition

NJ man alleges interrogation, coercion in Somalia, Egypt

(Newser) - A New Jersey man yesterday became the first US citizen to sue the federal government for "rendition," the extrajudicial transfer of terrorism suspects between countries. Arrested in Kenya in 2007, Amir Meshal was secretly flown to Somalia, then to Ethiopia, where he claims US agents repeatedly threatened him... More »

25 Stories

Copyright 2010 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.


 
CIA • rendition • Italy • kidnapping • cleric • terror suspects • extraordinary rendition

from our news partners

Please wait, content is loading
Please wait, content is loading

Just For Laughs

Loading...