CIA kidnap trial to resume in Italy

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iM_OyD9hy2TiYq1MYZBPG0iWohdA

11 hours ago

ROME (AFP) — The trial of CIA agents accused of kidnapping an Egyptian religious leader in 2003 was set to resume at a court in the northern city of Milan.

The trial is the first in Europe into the US Central Intelligence Agency's "extraordinary rendition" programme involving the secret transfers of terrorism suspects to third countries known to practise torture.

Twenty-six American defendants -- 25 CIA agents and a US Air Force colonel -- are being tried in absentia along with seven Italians including the former head of Italian military intelligence, Nicolo Pollari, who was forced to resign over the kidnapping.

The trial was delayed for months while Italy's Constitutional Court ruled over the conduct of the probe.