Italy/United States

Italian court convicts 25 agents in CIA kidnapping case

Article published on the 2009-11-05 Latest update 2009-11-05 13:54 TU

Prosecutor Armando Spataro speaks in Milan during the trial of Abu Omar on Wednesday
(Photo: Reuters)

An Italian court has convicted and sentenced 23 American CIA agents and two Italian secret agents over the kidnapping of an Egyptian Muslim cleric in 2003. The accused were not present during the trial, which upset Washington but was hailed by human rights groups.

Italy’s Constitutional Court found that the cleric, Abu Omar, was kidnapped from a street in Milan and sent to Egypt, where he was allegedly tortured.

The three-year trial is the first against people involved in the CIA's extraordinary renditions program, under which terrorism suspects were abducted and transferred to third countries for interrogation.

The CIA's Milan station chief at the time, Robert Seldon Lady, was sentenced to eight years in prison, while the remaining Americans received five years. The two Italians were given three-year terms.

Several Italian and American defendants - including the two alleged masterminds of the abduction - were acquitted due to diplomatic immunity or because classified information was stricken.

US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said that Washington was "disappointed” by the ruling.

"Our view is the Italian court has no jurisdiction over Lieutenant Colonel (Joseph) Romano and should have immediately dismissed the charges," said Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell.

Human rights groups hailed the decision and pressed President Barack Obama to repudiate the Bush administration's interrogation program.

The CIA declined to comment on the convictions.