The Heretik: DISAPPEARING NEWS

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DISAPPEARING NEWS

EXTRAORDINARY RENDITION fails to disappear as issue for sovereign nations of Europe that will not put up with illegal policy of making “ghost prisoners” out of human beings. Substance to charges found in Spain, Germany and Italy [NY Times]
The program is the focus of a number of European investigations. Spain is the third country in Europe to open a judicial inquiry into potential criminal offenses committed by C.I.A. operatives related to renditions. The other two are Germany and Italy, which on Friday formally requested the extradition of 22 people said to be C.I.A. operatives linked to the suspected kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric in 2003.
ITALIAN PROSECUTORS demand extradition of twentytwo CIA agents to face charges of kidnapping [WaPo]
The prosecutors' decision places added pressure on U.S. officials to explain the Bush administration's alleged role in the abduction of Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, also known as Abu Omar. Italy and the United States have an extradition treaty that generally requires both countries to hand over defendants facing charges, although there are exceptions. . . .
The prosecutors' extradition request is now before Italian Justice Minister Roberto Castelli, who has not said whether he will forward it to U.S. officials.
Castelli was in Washington this week to meet with Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales. After returning to Rome on Thursday, Castelli said they discussed extradition cases but declined to say whether the Abu Omar case was among them, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.
CASTELLI WAS um cagey about how he would rule on the prosecutors request. Il Corriere has more.
Washington has always maintained maximum confidentiality on the Abu Omar case, but according to unconfirmed reports, the United States may put pressure on Rome to block the extradition request. The CIA is currently going through a difficult period. Controversy over Iraq, revelations about the network of secret prisons, and clashes over the methods administration hawks want to see used in the war on terror have all contributed to the unpleasant atmosphere. And CIA agents are reluctant to carry the can for everyone else.
PREVIOUS RELATED HERETIK POSTS [Extraordinary Rendition Ruled Ordinary Crime in Italy] [Anarchy USA]

DETENTION AND TORTURE rightly deserve attention and the probity of our best selves. How much this issue becomes a soccer ball kicked around in Europe and how much it becomes a political football here remain to be seen. Are we above the law or do we all play on the same field?

[Joe Gandelman/ The Moderate Voice] So this issue is now going beyond an issue that can be painted as strictly domestic politics -- Democrats Versus Republicans. It's hard to paint that way, anyway, due to the fact the treatment of detainees is a key issue to Republicans such as Senator John McCain and the Senate has gone on the record against torture.

UPDATE: SENATE OFFERS discounted human rights here.

November 14, 2005 at 05:46 PM in GREETINGS FROM THE GULAG | Permalink

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November 14, 2005

DISAPPEARING NEWS

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