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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Ex-CIA Milan chief held in Panama over cleric abduction | Ex-CIA Milan chief held in Panama over cleric abduction |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A former CIA station chief convicted by an Italian court of kidnapping a terror suspect has been detained in Panama, Italian officials say. | A former CIA station chief convicted by an Italian court of kidnapping a terror suspect has been detained in Panama, Italian officials say. |
| Robert Seldon Lady was sentenced to nine years in jail for his involvement in the abduction of the man, an Egyptian cleric, in Milan in 2003. | Robert Seldon Lady was sentenced to nine years in jail for his involvement in the abduction of the man, an Egyptian cleric, in Milan in 2003. |
| The cleric, known as Abu Omar, was allegedly flown to Egypt and tortured. | The cleric, known as Abu Omar, was allegedly flown to Egypt and tortured. |
| Lady was convicted in absentia with 22 other Americans for their role in his "extraordinary rendition". | Lady was convicted in absentia with 22 other Americans for their role in his "extraordinary rendition". |
| But the Italian authorities have so far only sought the international arrest of the former Milan station chief, Italian media say. | But the Italian authorities have so far only sought the international arrest of the former Milan station chief, Italian media say. |
| However, Panamanian Security Minister Jose Raul Mulino told the Associated Press that he was unaware of the detention. The CIA said it had no immediate comment. | However, Panamanian Security Minister Jose Raul Mulino told the Associated Press that he was unaware of the detention. The CIA said it had no immediate comment. |
| Lady was reportedly arrested near Panama's border with Costa Rica. | Lady was reportedly arrested near Panama's border with Costa Rica. |
| Local Italian media reports the move comes after a previous justice minister called for an international search in December 2012 after Lady's conviction was upheld. | |
| The Milan case was the first involving extraordinary rendition, the CIA's practice of transferring suspects to countries where torture is permitted. | The Milan case was the first involving extraordinary rendition, the CIA's practice of transferring suspects to countries where torture is permitted. |
| The practice has been condemned by human rights groups as a violation of international agreements. | The practice has been condemned by human rights groups as a violation of international agreements. |
| Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, who was considered a terrorism suspect by the US, was abducted in February 2003 and transferred between US military bases in Italy and Germany before being brought to Egypt. | Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, who was considered a terrorism suspect by the US, was abducted in February 2003 and transferred between US military bases in Italy and Germany before being brought to Egypt. |
| Twenty-two CIA agents, including Lady, and an air force pilot were convicted in 2009 of abducting the cleric. Their sentences were upheld last year by Italy's highest appeals court. | |
| Three additional Americans, including CIA Rome station chief Jeffrey Castelli, were convicted by an appeals court in February. | |
| None of the 26 convicted have ever appeared in Italian court, and only two have had any contact with their lawyers. A number of the names of those convicted are believed to be aliases, the Associated Press reports. | |
| Lady reportedly rushed back to the US in 2007, when court hearings began in Milan to decide whether to put the 23 Americans on trial. | Lady reportedly rushed back to the US in 2007, when court hearings began in Milan to decide whether to put the 23 Americans on trial. |
| He said he had opposed the proposal to kidnap the imam, but was overruled. A previous Italian government has said Lady was the only one of the 23 Americans that could be extradited, given the length of his sentence. | He said he had opposed the proposal to kidnap the imam, but was overruled. A previous Italian government has said Lady was the only one of the 23 Americans that could be extradited, given the length of his sentence. |