ROME, December 23 – Today an Italian Prosecutor announced that arrest warrants for 22 CIA operatives have been issued on the 20th of December. The CIA agents are wanted for their part in an alleged kidnapping case in February 2003.
An Italian judge issued the warrants on Tuesday which allow all the nations of the European Union to arrest these CIA agents legally. The case revolves around the muslim cleric Osama Nasr Mostafa Hassan also known as Abu Omar. This man was under investigation by the Italian authorities in 2003 for alleged links with terrorist operations when a team of CIA agents abducted the man in the streets of Milan and transported him to Egypt where he was allegedly tortured.
Earlier this year Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi demanded an explanation from the U.S. ambassador on this case, no information about that meeting was publicized. Italian prosecutors are now asking the Justice Minister Roberto Castelli to demand the extradition of the CIA agents by the U.S.
Sources within the CIA meanwhile claims that the Italian military secret service approved the operation and that the Italian counterpart of the CIA was informed about this operation. The Italian government is denying any such claims and insist that this abduction was illegal.
