ITALY:Twenty-six Americans and five Italians are to be put on trial in Italy, accused of kidnapping a terrorism suspect as part of the CIA's programme of so-called extraordinary rendition.
Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, known as Abu Omar, who was released from prison in Egypt this week, said he had been reduced to a "human wreck" by torture during four years in a Cairo jail.
Milan prosecutors, who were investigating Abu Omar when he disappeared from the city four years ago, allege he was flown to Egypt from a US airbase in Italy after being snatched by a CIA team helped by Italian intelligence.
Judge Caterina Interlandi ruled yesterday that the prosecution had made a prima facie case during a preliminary hearing that opened last month and that a full trial should begin on June 8th. It will be the world's first trial over the extraordinary rendition programme in which suspects are often delivered to countries where torture is common.
Among those indicted were the CIA's former Rome and Milan station chiefs, Jeff Castelli and Robert Lady, and the then head of Italian military intelligence, Nicolo Pollari.
Other defendants include 23 suspected CIA operatives and a US airforce officer serving in Italy when Abu Omar vanished.
Romano Prodi's government has avoided taking a decision on a request for the Americans' extradition, which would be refused.
Under Italian law, defendants can be tried in absentia. When asked to comment, US justice department spokesman Sean McCormack said: "Our official public view is that this is an internal Italian judicial matter."