Italy spy held over 'CIA kidnap'

Police arrested a director of Italy’s military intelligence agency on Wednesday on suspicion of helping the CIA in the alleged kidnapping of a terrorism suspect in Milan, judicial sources said.

It is the first Italian official has been linked to the 2003 abduction of Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, also known as Abu Omar. Nasr says he was flown to Egypt and tortured.

An Italian court has issued arrest warrants for 22 suspected US agents over the abduction, but no Italians had been sought until now.

Marco Mancini, from Sismi intelligence agency, is the first Italian to be linked to the investigation.

Prosecutors say Egyptian Muslim cleric Osama Mustafa Hassan, also known as Abu Omar, was sent Egypt for interrogation involving torture.

Italy’s previous government denied any involvement or prior knowledge.

Mr Hassan says he was taken to Egypt for interrogation – part of a US policy known as “extraordinary rendition”.

As the head of military counter-espionage, Mr Mancini is one of Italy’s highest-ranking intelligence officers. He has taken part in negotiations to free Italian hostages kidnapped in Iraq.

He was arrested on Wednesday, Italy’s Apcom news agency and judicial sources said.

The arrest was confirmed by the former Italian President Francesco Cossiga.

Magistrates in Milan have issued 22 arrest warrants for suspected CIA agents they believe were involved in the February 2003 case, but the US authorities have refused to co-operate with the Italian justice ministry.

Washington acknowledges that it has transferred terror suspects between countries, but denies handing them over to countries that use torture.

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