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Italian court convicts 23 Americans in rendition trial
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An Italian court today (Nov. 4) convicted 23 Americans, including the CIA station chief, for abducting a Muslim imam (cleric) during broad daylight from the streets of Milan 6 years ago. The court sentenced CIA station chief, Robert Seldon Lady, to 8 years in prison and the other 22 Americans to a term of 5 years each. The verdict and sentencing is largely symbolic as all the Americans were tried in absentia. Three higher level Americans were given diplomatic immunity.
As reported in the New York Times, Imam Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr was suspected of giving khutbahs (sermons) that preached violence and for recruiting men to Iraq to fight the anticipated American invasion.
Imam Nasr claims that he was abducted during daylight hours, flown to an American airbase in Germany and then to Egypt where he was tortured. The process is known as “rendition”. Imam Nasr did not resurface until a year later.
According to the New York Times, it is unlikely that even the seven Italians who were convicted will serve any of their sentences. It still is not clear whether Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi approved of the kidnapping. The convictions may provide evidence for a civil suit filed by Imam Nasr and his wife.
Apparently, this landmark trial is the first time Americans have been tried for rendition in a foreign court.
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