Italy takes a stand against torture - Indicts 26 Americans (CIA, Air Force)

[BlooInBloo]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/16/AR2007021600289.html

"ROME, Feb. 16 -- An Italian judge gave approval Friday for what will be the first overseas criminal trial of CIA officers involved in a covert counterterrorism operation, as a court in Milan indicted more than two dozen Americans on charges of kidnapping a radical Muslim cleric four years ago.

After a judicial hearing that lasted two months, the court handed down indictments against 25 CIA operatives, a U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel and five Italian spies who are accused of grabbing an imam, Osama Mustafa Hassan Nasr, off the street and stuffing him into a white van as he walked to noonday prayers Feb. 17, 2003. Nasr was taken from Milan to his native Egypt, where he claims he was tortured in prison for more than three years."


(a) This will presumably result in the christening of "Freedom Dressing" by republicans in the coming days.

(b) While those who are directly guilty most certainly ought to be held accountable, President Evildipshit needs to be ultimately held to account for this - both for the person who was tortured, and for putting the troops at risk. Fucking asshole.

[marmar]

1. I guess Italy now is a member of the Coalition of the Unwilling....

Wonderful things happen when you kick Neocon criminals out of office (i.e. Berlusconi). Ciao Italia!:yourock:

[babylonsister]

2. 25 CIA operatives, a LC w/the AF, and Italian spies? Is this a novel somewhere yet?

Sadly, we probably will never know the real story on this one, but stranger truths have been told.

[derby378]

3. Those 26 will never set foot in Italy again

Sorry, folks, but even if Italy were to try them all in abstentia, justice will never be served.

[BlooInBloo]

4. Is the whole EU off-limits as well?

[MannyGoldstein]

5. Why Do You Hate Powerful Women?

You're just saying this to bash Mrs. Clinton, aren't you?

:sarcasm:

[BlooInBloo]

6. Cuz it ain't the Lord's intended order. Damn ay-thee-ists. ;)

EDIT: Smiley faces look freakish without eyes.

[JackRiddler]

7. I'm sure this is funny but your in-jokes are OT and rather obscure in a serious thread n/t

[BlooInBloo]

8. I started the fucking thread. I'll say whatever I fucking want.

[JackRiddler]

10. whatever - chill fuck out n/t

[Kurovski]

9. Kick.(nt)

[BlooInBloo]

11. Thanks - I'm surprised that not many find this noteworthy.

[Kurovski]

12. Me too.

So, another kick. :kick:

[Emit]

13. What I find interesting about this case is

that I always wondered if it had some connection to the forged Niger documents -- or at least whether some of the same players were involved. I came across this case when it first started to be reported on during some research some of us were doing here on DU.

Here's a snip from the current article you posted:

The indictment publishes the names of the 25 CIA operatives, including the CIA's former Rome station chief Jeffrey Castelli and former Milan substation chief Robert Seldon Lady, who are accused of conspiring with the Italian military intelligence agency, known as Sismi.

Most of the CIA operatives named in the indictments had been using undercover aliases; prosecutors said they do not know the operatives' true identities and acknowledged that it is unlikely they will be found or brought to Italy to stand trial.

A former Sismi director, Gen. Nicolo Pollari, has also been charged.

And here's the old DU thread where these guys were previously discussed in relation to the forged Niger docs (Plame case) and possible the AIPAC/Franklin thing -- see post #88 and #89, for starters:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2046689#2052474


I'm not sure how it all fits together, or if it even does. Anyway, thanks for posting the article.

[BlooInBloo]

14. Ah - interesting connect-the-dots attempt.