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Europe
CIA agents sought over 'abduction'
2005-10-01

ARREST warrants have been issued in Italy for three further alleged CIA agents accused of the “illegal abduction” of an Egyptian Muslim cleric from Milan two years ago.

In June, prosecutors ordered the arrest of 19 people allegedly involved in the kidnap of Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, known as Abu Omar, in Milan in February 2003. Police said he was flown via the US airbase at Aviano in northern Italy to the US base at Ramstein in Germany and from there to Egypt.

Rome acknowledges that Abu Omar was being investigated by Italian police as a terrorist suspect. But they say his abduction was “a serious violation of Italian sovereignty” and disrupted its own investigations.

Abu Omar phoned his wife in Milan from Cairo in July 2004 when briefly released, and told her that he had been tortured. He was rearrested but has not yet been charged.
Following the playbook, is he?
Armando Spataro, the Milan prosecutor, said the three CIA agents now being sought included a female US diplomat who he said had been in charge of the operation and “participated in it personally”.

Italian newspapers named her as Betnie Medero, 38, who arrived in Italy in August 2001 as a second secretary at the US Embassy. The reports said she was now working in Mexico.
And she has diplomatic immunity.
All 22 agents being sought are said to have left Italy, and Signor Spataro said that he was seeking their extradition.

Corriere della Sera, quoting investigators, said that material found on the computer of Robert Seldon Lady, the alleged CIA station chief in Milan at the time, included surveillance photographs of Abu Omar. Investigators said that they had tracked down the alleged agents through mobile telephone and credit card records.
Idiots, idiots, idiots. Who in the world is teaching tradecraft at the Farm these days?
The agents were said to have been part of the CIA’s “extraordinary rendition” programme, under which terrorism suspects are transferred to third countries without court approval. The US Embassy in Rome would not comment yesterday.
Posted by:Ulenter Slack9684

#3  Idiots, idiots, idiots. Who in the world is teaching tradecraft at the Farm these days?

Who has time for that? I'm in it for the cocktail parties! [/sarc imitation of a Clinton-era/now officer]

Something tells me that Porter Goss' cleaning house could be started by replacing many of the (dare I say it?) cowards with Special Activities Division personnel.
Posted by: Edward Yee   2005-10-01 14:57  

#2  Theres alot people from Italy that like and hate America and it's a matter of ego because we did it without their permission.
Posted by: Flirt Angeager7348   2005-10-01 14:36  

#1  Why does Italy give a shit?
Posted by: 3dc   2005-10-01 13:24  

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