Italian prosecutors begin closing arguments at CIA rendition trial in Milan

Italians begin closing arguments at CIA trial

MILAN — Prosecutors began closing arguments Wednesday in the trial of 26 Americans and seven Italians accused of orchestrating a CIA-led kidnapping of an Egyptian terror suspect.

The arguments by Prosecutor Armando Spataro signaled the final phase of the first trial in any country involving the CIA’s extraordinary renditions program. Spataro’s arguments, including his specific demands for each defendant, are expected to continue into next week.

A verdict is expected by year’s end.

Prosecutors say the 26 Americans were mostly CIA agents who worked with Italian intelligence to organize the kidnapping of Muslim cleric Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr from Milan in February 2003.

Prosecutors say Nasr, a terror suspect, was driven to Aviano Air Base in Italy, flown to Ramstein Air Base in southern Germany and then onto Egypt, where he was held and allegedly tortured. Nasr has since been released but remains in Egypt and has not testified at the trial.

The case is the first to scrutinize extraordinary renditions, under which the CIA transferred terror suspects to third countries for interrogation. Human rights advocates charge that renditions were the agency’s way to outsource the torture of prisoners to countries where torture was permitted.

The CIA has declined to comment on the Italian case, and all the Americans are being tried in absentia.

The Italian government has denied any involvement, and all defendants, or their lawyers, have denied the charges.