ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Nearly two dozen Americans -- most thought to work for the CIA -- were sentenced to five years in prison Wednesday by an Italian court for their role in the seizing of a suspected terrorist in Italy in 2003, the prosecutor in the case told CNN.
The Americans did not appear for trial and are not in custody, but the ruling could effectively make them international fugitives.
The trial was the first to deal with a practice that human rights groups call "extraordinary rendition." They say the United States has often sent suspects to countries that practice torture.
Washington acknowledges making secret "rendition" transfers of terrorism suspects between countries but denies using torture or handing suspects over to countries that do.
The case centered on the extraordinary rendition of a Muslim cleric, Osama Mustafa Hassan Nasr, or Abu Omar.
He was seized on the streets of Milan, Italy, in 2003, transferred to Egypt and tortured, he said. He was suspected of recruiting men to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan and was under heavy surveillance by Italy's intelligence agency.
Prosecutors said he was nabbed by a CIA team working with Italian intelligence officials.
Originally posted by CannonsFront: Did they convict the italians as well?
I think some of the Italian int operatives are already doing time and there was a resignation or two higher up - not that it means anything, Italian officials and politicians resign at the drop of a hat but are back in place in short order (look at Berlusconi!).
It must be said though that the CIA was really asking for it this time. It's all very well kidnapping people off the streets of some African dump where the government and judiciary is easily cowed and quite often you'd probably get away with it in Italy but they've had a bit of a bee in their bonnet about perceived American contempt for the rule of their law ever since that pilot killed a cable-car full of people and was safely out of Italy and on his way back to a slap on the wrist in the US before the bodies were cold. The Italians in general (but not necessarily their government) have been looking for an opportunity to register their irritation ever since and this case must have seemed the perfect chance being legally pretty much open and shut.
Originally posted by CannonsFront: Sorry I was not able to get the link we have some real good filters, I will have to check later from a differnt pc Thanks
Fair enough ... here's what the article stated ...
quote:
Cases were also dismissed against the former head of Italy's intelligence service and his deputy because of state secrecy provisions.
Two other Italians were sentenced to three years in jail for aiding the plot.
