Italian Rendition trial, CIA in hot water?

[Disco_Destroyer]

Italy orders 'CIA kidnapping' trial
An Italian judge has indicted 26 Americans and five Italians in the first criminal trial case over the CIA's extraordinary rendition programme.

The Milan judge set a trial date for June 8.

Prosecutors allege that five Italian intelligence officials worked with the Americans -- almost all CIA agents -- to abduct terror suspect Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr from a Milan street on February 17, 2003.

The CIA has refused to comment on the case.

Among those indicted was the former Italian chief of military intelligence, Nicolo Pollari.

Mr Pollari, the only defendant who appeared during the preliminary hearing, has insisted that Italian intelligence played no role in the alleged abduction.

He told the judge he was unable to defend himself properly because documents clarifying his position had been excluded from the proceedings because they contained state secrets.

Mr Nasr was allegedly transferred by vehicle to the Aviano Air Force base near Venice, then by air to the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, and then on to Egypt, where critics say he was tortured.

All but one of the American suspects have been identified as CIA agents, including the former station chiefs in Rome and Milan. The other is a US Air Force officer stationed at the time at Aviano.

http://news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=3052840