ITALY CONVICTS 23 AMERICAN FOR EXTRAORDINARY RENDITION OF MUSLIM CLERIC

While the United States does everything in its power to prevent civil suits against those involved in extraordinary renditions, the practice of the CIA of kidnapping alleged terrorists abroad and shipping them to third countries, Italy is criminally prosecuting CIA agents involved in the renditions.

Twenty-three Americans were convicted of kidnapping a Muslim cleric, Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, off the streets of Milan and transporting him to Egypt where he was allegedly tortured. Robert Seldon Lady, the former CIA base chief in Milan was sentenced to eight years and 22 other CIA employees were sentence to five years each. Lady is quoted as saying, “I’m not guilty. I’m only responsible for carrying out orders that I received from my superiors,” Since they were prosecuted in absentia it is unlikely that any of the agents will serve their time.