Italian Court Dismisses Evidence in CIA Rendition Trial citing "State Secrets"
The Italian Constitutional Court has ruled that prosecutors violated “state secrecy laws” in building their case against Italian and U.S. agents who are accused of extraordinary rendition of Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, aka Abu Omar.
Though the case has not been thrown out it has set back the case which resumes hearing on March 18, 2009. The case claims that the CIA led team kidnapped Abu Omar in Milan and took him to US bases in Italy and Germany before they flew him to Egypt in 2003. Abu Omar says he was tortured there and held without being charged.
The court ruled that the prosecutors improperly used classified secrets to prepare their case. Much of the indictment rests on the “secrets”, and no word has come as to how the lawyers will be able to make their case without being able to rely upon these materials.
From Berlisconi till now, Italy maintains it had no role in the Nasr rendition.
The case involves twenty six American agents and several Italian agents.
We will keep you posted.