WORLD BRIEFING / ITALY
The kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric damaged the fight against terrorism, prosecutors said during closing arguments in the trial of 26 Americans and seven Italians charged with orchestrating a CIA-led abduction.
Arguments by prosecutor Armando Spataro signaled the final phase of the first trial in any country involving the CIA’s “extraordinary rendition” program. Prosecutors allege that the Americans were mostly CIA agents who worked with Italian intelligence to organize the kidnapping of Muslim cleric Hassan Osama Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, from a Milan street in February 2003.
The CIA has declined to comment on the case, and all the Americans are being tried in absentia. The Italian government has denied any involvement.
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