Italian Court Levies Judgment on U.S. Rendition Program (CIA employees sentenced)

ABC News ^ | 11-4-09 | Jake Tapper

[STARWISE]

ABC News' Rachel Martin reports: The US intelligence gathering program known as “extraordinary rendition” was essentially put on trial for the first time - in Italy - and this week the court rendered a guilty verdict.

Italian Judge Oscar Magi convicted 23 Americans of the 2003 kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric on a street in Milan, Italy. The cleric, known as Abu Omar, alleged that he was abducted by CIA operatives who then shuttled him between US bases in Europe and then moved him to Egypt where Omar says he was tortured.

The Italian judge tried the Americans, all but one identified by prosecutors as CIA agents, in absentia. Former CIA Milan station chief Robert Seldon Lady got the toughest sentence – eight years in prison. The others each received a five year sentence. Two Italians were also convicted as accomplices to kidnapping.

This, in itself is a big deal. It’s the first time any court anywhere has tried a case centered on the US rendition program, put into place under the Bush administration after 9/11. But this is the second major decision to come down this week regarding the controversial rendition program. On Monday, a US federal court of appeals dismissed the rendition case of Maher Arar – a Canadian citizen who alleges that he was abducted by US officials and flown to Syria where he was held prisoner for a year and tortured.

The US appeals court dismissed the case, citing the oft-invoked states secret privilege. (This was also the basis US courts used to dismiss the case of Khaled al Masri – a German citizen who alleged he was abducted in Macedonia by CIA operatives in 2003 and flown to Afghanistan, held for months and tortured.)

[STARWISE]

Of course, they neglect to report that he -- Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, also known as Abu Omar -- was linked to Islamic extremists in Italy, but further research reveals that missing fact.

~~~~

"One enduring mystery surrounding the case is why the CIA would want to abduct Nasr in the first place.

Italian anti-terrorism police said they were close to arresting Nasr at the time he disappeared. They had him under regular surveillance, with wiretaps on his home telephone, as part of an investigation into a network of Islamic extremists in northern Italy. His disappearance meant that Italian authorities lost a valuable window into the Islamic underground, prosecutors say."

This surveillance photo of Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr was found on a disk in the home of the CIA's ranking official in Milan, according to Italian police.

~~~~

The former head of the CIA in Milan Robert Lady was given an eight-year jail sentence for his part in the seizure of Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, known as Abu Omar, who claimed that he was subsequently tortured in Egypt. Lady's superior, Jeff Castelli, the then head of the CIA in Italy, and two other Americans were acquitted on the grounds that they enjoyed diplomatic immunity.

But another 21 alleged CIA operatives and a US air force officer were each sentenced to five years in jail. All were tried in absentia and those who were convicted will be regarded as fugitives under Italian law.

~~~~~~~~~

God bless and protect our intel agencies ..and those warriors who fight for our protection.

I'm SO sick of the 20/20 Hindsighters, who keep coming forward NOW to criticize and persecute those who were dealing with the terrifying unknown world of terrorist risk after 9/11 and doing everything then they could think of to prevent another attack here. Now, those soldiers for our safety are criminals. Damn the cowardly critics!

[jessduntno]

“The cleric, known as Abu Omar, alleged that he was abducted by CIA operatives who then shuttled him between US bases in Europe and then moved him to Egypt where Omar says he was tortured.”

He got the “A Team”...good for them...

[Jack Hammer]

‘I’m SO sick of the 20/20 Hindsighters, who keep coming forward NOW....’

You’re not the only one...

[NavVet]

The Italian court ignored the U.S. assertion of its right to primary jurisdiction over the one military member charged and convicted him in clear violation of the NATO SOFA.

[STARWISE]

[Joe Boucher]

In certain places you’d call it varmint hunting.
Why arrest this garbage?
Plink.

[hellbender]

I have to wonder how these Euroweenies, wallowing in the slow suicide of their culture and their sentimental Muzzie-pandering, obtained the names of all those CIA agents. If I were the CIA, I would never again trust Italian intelligence.

[penelopesire]

Well said! Italy was on my list of travel spots in the next few years..not anymore..it’s been scratched off the list! They can GTH!

[aumrl]

ONE SUPER GOOD POINT !!

[Eagles6]

When will “commander zero” turn them over?

[SunkenCiv]

Italian Judge Oscar Magi convicted 23 Americans of the 2003 kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric on a street in Milan, Italy. The cleric, known as Abu Omar, alleged that he was abducted by CIA operatives who then shuttled him between US bases in Europe and then moved him to Egypt where Omar says he was tortured. The Italian judge tried the Americans, all but one identified by prosecutors as CIA agents, in absentia. Former CIA Milan station chief Robert Seldon Lady got the toughest sentence -- eight years in prison. The others each received a five year sentence. Two Italians were also convicted as accomplices to kidnapping.

Omar sez he was tortured, and the prosecutors claim his abductors were CIA agents -- so of course it must be true.

[hellbender]

On further reflection, maybe the agents were betrayed to the Italians by the NY Slimes, or someone in the 0bama administration.

[Chode]

damn, if that ain't the truth...

[familyop]

...good post, STARWISE. We should stop immigration from Italy. Iberian culture propaganda tactics and organized crime from southwestern and northeastern Europe have been degrading US judicial and legislative offices for at least 120 years anyway.

Freed Italians eye return to Iraq [Italy paid a ransom!]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1231061/posts

Sgrena’s ‘truth’ doesn’t ring true
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1361764/posts

Italy to stop paying ransoms
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1361666/posts

20,000 in farewell to Italian ‘martyr’
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1358260/posts

Italy Plans to Charge GI in Iraq Death
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1559896/posts

I warned Bush about Iraq: Italy’s PM
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1512263/posts

Berlusconi protests over CIA ‘kidnap’
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1434969/posts

Italy Demands ‘Full Respect’ From U.S. Over Terror Suspect’s Seizure
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1434975/posts

French troops were killed after Italy hushed up ‘bribes’ to Taleban
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2362686/posts

Italy backs Iran’s nuclear bid if peaceful
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1694293/posts

[Cindy]

“God bless and protect our intel agencies ..and those warriors who fight for our protection.”

and Amen.

[ToTheMax]

THe Italian judiciary may have been infiltrated over the years by members/supporters of the old pro-Soviet Italian Communist Party. I have seen references to this decades old infiltration, including that media, etc.

Remember, an Italian intelligence agent was accidentally shot by US troops in Iraq while he was getting out/smuggling out an Italian woman journalist who had “allegedly” been kidnapped by Iraqi extremists or jihadists.

Turns out that she was a correspondent for the communist party newspaper and I suspect that it was a staged kidnapping. She wrote friendly articles about the “resistance.”

Italians are great people but they are also among the most crazy of the western Europeans, a junior version of their wacked out cousins in Romania.

Also, one of the Spanish judges who has ruled against the CIA and/or in favor of jihadists also turned out to be member of the communist or Socialist Party (same difference).

As posters above have shown, there is usually much more to the story than what is written in what we are reading.

That is why there are great, knowledgeable posters here at FR to keep the media honest.

[hellbender]

Yes. When people on FR curse the Euros for ridiculous positions they take, they should realize that countries like France and Italy had huge Communist parties for many years. The commies nearly took over Spain and Greece, and did run Portugal for a while. Those people didn’t go away. Nor did American commies and fellow travelers. Their children became the “New” Left, which now has one of their number in the White House.

[Rapscallion]

If I were the CIA, I would never again trust Italian intelligence.

It won't be that long before Italy becomes an Islamic state. We'll see how they like that.

[silent_jonny]

LOL—funny because it’s true!

[Androcles]

Mind you, it should be noted that Italians have a similar respect/trust for American intel and military agents following the disgraceful Cablecar killings and also the poor handling of the investigation into the death of the Italian agent in Iraq at US hands.Note, before I get flamed I’m not taking a stance on the incident, but I do say that the incidsent aftermath was handled appallingly and unprofessionally, albeit humorously badly in some ways from a black comic view.