26 Americans wanted over Italy Kidnapping plot

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-17-2007 09:33

An Italian judge has ordered the arrest of 26 Americans and five Italians over the alleged abduction of an Egyptian cleric four years ago.

The cleric was snatched from a street in Milan and then flown to Egypt. the first case involving the CIA's so called "rendition program" will be no easy task.

Procesutors allege that five Italian intelligence officials worked with the Americans to abduct Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr from a Milan street on February 2003. Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, was released just this last Sunday. He claimed to have been tortured during four years' of imprisonment in Egypt.

And the alleged kidnapping operation by the CIA agents is a breach of Italian sovereignty and compromises Italy's own anti-terrorism efforts.

Among those indicted are the former heads of the US Central Intelligence Agency in Rome and Milan. But even defense lawyers are not clear about the real identities of those involved.