Italy Not Requesting Extradition of CIA Operatives - For Now

Looks like the judicial system in Italy has decided not to play. They don't give any reasons though.

Italy's justice minister on Thursday said he has decided not to seek the extradition from the U.S. of 22 CIA operatives accused of abducting an Egyptian cleric from a Milan street, in a blow to prosecutors investigating the case.

Justice Minister Roberto Castelli informed Milan's chief prosecutor that he would not submit a request to the Bush administration for the extradition of the 22, who are accused in a 477-page arrest warrant of carrying out the kidnapping three years ago. He gave no reason for denying the politically sensitive request made by the Milan judiciary five months ago.

However, prosecutors investigating the case said they would not give up their efforts to have the 22 men and women brought to Italy and would resubmit the request if a new justice minister is named.

"We can ask for the extradition at another time, when we have a new justice minister and a new government," said Armando Spataro, the Milan prosecutor who heads the investigation into the February 2003 abduction case.

Makes one wonder why they would proceed with this in any case. It is political, but then, do they really think that the US would hand over intelligence service members to a foreign power?

Spataro said that he will proceed with plans to prosecute the 22 current and former agents in absentia and that he expects the trial could begin this fall, with or without their extradition.

Most of the 22 current and former operatives are believed to have used false names during the time they spent in Milan plotting and executing the February 2003 abduction, and Spataro also acknowledges it is unlikely the U.S. would readily cooperate with an extradition request.

Well, I'm certain they have nothing better to do than run a trial that won't have any defendants.