Italy judge orders CIA-linked arrests

An Italian judge has ordered the arrest of 13 foreigners tied to the CIA for allegedly kidnapping an Egyptian terrorism suspect in Milan two years ago and flying him to Egypt for questioning, judicial sources said yesterday. The foreigners "linked to...

An Italian judge has ordered the arrest of 13 foreigners tied to the CIA for allegedly kidnapping an Egyptian terrorism suspect in Milan two years ago and flying him to Egypt for questioning, judicial sources said yesterday.

The foreigners "linked to the CIA" seized imam Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, on a Milan street on February 17, 2003, the Milan-based judge Chiara Nobili said in the arrest warrants issued on Thursday, according to the sources. Mr Nasr was taken to a US base in Aviano and flown home for questioning, the sources added.

Foreign intelligence officials believe Mr Nasr was formerly a combatant in Afghanistan and Bosnia before arriving in Italy in 1997 and obtaining political refugee status. He was already under investigation in Italy on suspicion of ties to international terrorism at the time he disappeared.

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