Italy tells US to respect sovereignty after kidnap

Italy told the United States on Friday to respect Italian sovereignty after an alleged CIA kidnapping of a Muslim terrorist suspect in Milan in 2003.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi summoned U.S. ambassador Mel Sembler for a nearly hour-long meeting after accusations the United States broke Italian law by seizing the cleric and taking him to Egypt, where prosecutors believe he was tortured.

ROME, July 1 (Reuters) – Italy told the United States on Friday to respect Italian sovereignty after an alleged CIA kidnapping of a Muslim terrorist suspect in Milan in 2003.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi summoned U.S. ambassador Mel Sembler for a nearly hour-long meeting after accusations the United States broke Italian law by seizing the cleric and taking him to Egypt, where prosecutors believe he was tortured.

Italy, a U.S. ally over the war on terrorism and Iraq, has denied prior knowledge of any kidnapping.

“Berlusconi received … the United States ambassador, Mel Sembler, to whom he explained the indispensable demand that the United States fully respect Italian sovereignty,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement.

The U.S. embassy, which has declined to comment on the kidnapping allegations, said Sembler told Berlusconi it was U.S. policy to always respect Italy’s sovereignty.

“Both the prime minister and ambassador underscored that the broad, deep and lasting ties between the United States and Italy will continue on the basis of mutual respect,” the embassy said.

TORTURE EVIDENCE

Prosecutors believe Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, was seized in a street in Milan on Feb. 17, 2003 and secretly flown to Egypt. They said evidence showed he…

Posted by Liftow