The War Profiteers -The Kidnapping of Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr/Abu Omar

The War Profiteers - War Crimes, Kidnappings & Torture

The Kidnapping of Abu Omar aka Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr

Background	Media Reports	Legal Documents		Government Documents	Photo Credits

Background “In March 2003, the Italian national anti-terrorism police received an urgent message from the CIA about a radical Islamic cleric who had mysteriously vanished from Milan a few weeks before. The CIA reported that it had reliable information that the cleric, the target of an Italian criminal investigation, had fled to an unknown location in the Balkans. In fact, according to Italian court documents and interviews with investigators, the CIA’s tip was a deliberate lie, part of a ruse designed to stymie efforts by the Italian anti-terrorism police to track down the cleric, Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, an Egyptian refugee known as Abu Omar. The strategy worked for more than a year until Italian investigators learned that Nasr had not gone to the Balkans after all. Instead, prosecutors here have charged, he was abducted off a street in Milan by a team of CIA operatives who took him to two U.S. military bases in succession and then flew him to Egypt, where he was interrogated and allegedly tortured by Egyptian security agents before being released to house arrest. […]” Excerpt of a Washington post article from December 6^th, 2005.			Surveillance photo of Abu Omar - shot by CIA operatives

Washington Post Diagram of the Kidnapping

Media Reports December 3^rd, 2008 - Italian Judge Suspends Trial of CIA Agents 2 news articles by the Associated Press & Reuters November 7^th, 2008 - Italy PM to Press State Secrecy in CIA Rendition Trial 1 news article by Reuters October 15^th, 2008 - National Security at Issue in Italian CIA Trial 1 news article by the Associated Press September 24^th, 2008 - Italian Lawyers Seek Condoleezza Rice Testimony 1 news article by the Associated Press September 17^th, 2008 - Trial of ‘Extraordinary Rendition’ CIA Agents will Go Ahead 1 news article by The Times May 29^th, 2008 - Italy Officer Tells of Spying on Spies in Cleric’s Kidnapping 2 news articles by the Los Angeles Times & New York Times May 28^th, 2008 - Cellphones Were Crucial to Tracing CIA, Italian Official Testifies 1 news article by the Associated Press May 15^th, 2008 - Italian Trial of C.I.A. Operatives Begins With Torture Testimony 1 news article by the New York Times May 14^th, 2008 - Italian Judge: Berlusconi to Testify in CIA Case 1 news article by the Associated Press April 16^th, 2008 - Defense Requests Berlusconi Testimony in CIA Kidnap Case 1 news article by the Associated Press March 19^th, 2008 - CIA Kidnapping Trial Resumes in Italy 1 news article by Agence France Presse June 10^th, 2007 - Preacher Seized by CIA Tells of Torture in Egypt 1 feature article by the Sunday Times June 8^th, 2007 - Bush to Italy as Americans Go on Trial 1 news article by Irish Examiner March 22^nd, 2007 - The CIA’s Italian Job 1 news article by the Nation March 17^th, 2007 - Italy Renews Effort to Stop Abduction Trial Targeting CIA Operatives News article by Chicago Tribune February 28^th, 2007 - U.S. Will Not Extradite CIA Agents to Italy 1 news article by Al Jazeera February 17^th, 2007 - Italy Indicts C.I.A. Operatives in ’03 Abduction 1 news article by the New York Times February 13^th, 2007 - Muslim Cleric Promised to Keep Quiet About his CIA-Abduction 1 news article by AND Kronos International January 10^th, 2007 - The CIA in the Dock 1 news article by Spiegel magazine November 10^th, 2006 - Egyptian Claims Torture after CIA Kidnap in Italy 1 news article by Reuters July 17^th, 2006 - Italian Spy Chief faces Sack over Alleged Role in CIA Kidnapping 1 news article by the Independent July 5^th, 2006 - Italians seeking arrest of 3 CIA agents 2 news articles by the Associated Press & the New York Times December 9^th, 2005 - Former CIA Agent to Fight Italian Warrant 1 news article by the Associated Press
Legal Documents September 27^th, 2005 - Arrest Warrant for Betnie Medero, Vincent Faldo & James Harbison Order by the Tribunal of the City of Milano (Italy) “[…] THE JUDGE PRESIDING OVER PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS “Having examined the Prosecutor’s request, in which custodial measures are sought for: 1) MEDERO Betnie, d.o.b 3.29.1967 in the USA, US passport nr 016051676 issued on 4.27.1988; 2) FALDO VINCENT, d.o.b. 11.1.1950 in Massachussetts (USA), US passport nr 102026001 issued in Boston on 6.7.2000; 3) HARBISON James Thomas, d.o.b. 12.15.1948 in the USA. “ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION for the following offences: “Felony ex Arts. 110, 112 n° 1, 605 criminal code, whereby among themselves and together with others (also Egyptian nationals), including ROMANO Joseph L. III - with the consequent aggravating circumstance of the offence being committed by over five persons - for having kidnapped, depriving him of personal freedom, Nasr Osama Mustafa Hassan alias Abu Omar, apprehending him by force and forcibly making him enter a van, thereafter taking him first to the US military airbase at Aviano, where the United States of America Air Force 31st FW (Fighter Wing) is stationed, and thence to Egypt; “[P]arties to the crime being Jenkins Anne Lidia, Kirkland James Robert, Castaldo Eliana Isabella, Ibanez Brenda Liliana, Castellano Victor and Gurley John Thomas in participating to the preparatory stages of the abduction (preliminary scouting and assessment of the location where it would take place, scrutiny of Abu Omar’s habits, research into neighboring areas to that of the planned abduction, as well evaluation of the most suitable route for a safe and hasty access to the freeway bound for Aviano); “[P]arties to the crime being Asherleigh Gregory, Purvis George, Carrera Lorenzo, Harty Benamar, Harbaugh Raymond, Rueda Pilar, Sofin Joseph, Adler Monica Courtney, Logan Cynthia Dame, Duffin John Kevin, Channing Drew Carlyle, and Vasiliou Michalis, Medero Betnie, Faldo Vincent, Harbison James Thomas in participating to the above mentioned preparatory stages, and to the actual execution of the kidnapping together with the victim’s transfer to Aviano; “[P]arty to the crime being Romano Joseph, US head officer in charge of security at Aviano base, for receiving the abductors and the victim at the said base, ensuring the formers benefited from a safe access to the base, and were able to put the victim on a plane taking him outside Italy; “[P]arty to the crime being Lady Robert Seldon, for coordinating the action, as well as for guaranteeing connections and assistance to other parties to the crime, also as a consequence of his earlier presence and working activity in Milan. “Abduction carried out in Milan, on 02\17\2003 “PRELIMINARY REMARKS “The present request for custody measures is part of the procedure above indicated, in relation with which, on 06.22.2005, this office has issued an ordinance for custody measures for: “1) ADLER Monica Courtney; 2) ASHERLEIGH Gregory; 3) CARRERA Lorenzo Gabriel; 4) CHANNING John Kevin; 5) DUFFIN John Kevin; 6) HARBAUGH Raymond; 7) HARTY Ben Amar; 8) LADY Robert Seldon; 9) LOGAN Cynthia Dame; 10) PURVIS L. George; 11) RUEDA Pilar; 12) SOFIN Joseph; 13) VASILIOU Michalis. “Consecutively, the PP’s appeal having been accepted, the Tribunale del Riesame in Milan, with an ordinance dated 07.20.2005, has sought custody measures also for: “14) CASTALDO Eliana; 15) CASTELLANO Victor; 16) GURLEY John Thomas; 17) KIRKLAND James Robert; 18) JENKINS Anne Lidia; 19) IBANEZ Brenda Liliana. “The investigations made after the issuing of the two above mentioned ordinances for custody measures allowed us to identify three more persons - Medero Betnie, Faldo Vincent and Harbison James Thomas - guilty of having participated to Abu Omar’s abduction in Milan on 02.17.03. […]”

Government Documents October 16^th, 2006 - Exchange of Views with Mr Spataro, Prosecutor (Milan, Italy) Report by the Council of the European Union “[…] In his introductory remarks, Mr Spataro informed the Committee that the investigations regarding the kidnapping of Abu Omar in 2003 had been closed on 6 October 2006. Referring to questions put by Members at his previous appearance in the Committee regarding the possible cooperation by or knowledge of the Italian government in the kidnapping of Abu Omar, Mr Spataro emphasised that there were still no evidence of any such involvement. “During his investigations, he had interrogated or interviewed several persons from the Carabinieri and from SISMI, the Italian intelligence service. Among them were Mr Pironi from the Carabinieri, Mr D’Ambrosio, SISMI station chief in Milan at the time, Mr Mancini, head of the counterintelligence division of SISMI, General Pignero, SISMI agency chief for Northern Italy, and the head of the SISMI station in Trieste. He had wanted to interrogate Mr Pollari, the head of SISMI, but the latter had refused to answer any questions since the information that he had was covered by state secrecy. “During interrogations, the Carabineri official Mr Pironi had admitted that he had taken part in the kidnapping by asking Abu Omar for his identification papers. He had used the opportunity of the identity check to take Abu Omar to the van in which he was abducted. According to Mr Pironi, the kidnapping had been prepared by the CIA and SISMI. SISMI had assisted by carrying out checks and observing Abu Omar for a certain period of time. Mr Pironi had agreed to take part in the kidnapping because he was told that SISMI was involved and with the hope that Mr Robert Lady, the CIA station chief in Milan, would help him to be transferred from the Carabinieri to SISMI. Mr Pironi did not know who the other people involved were, but there were two persons who spoke Italian. One he only heard briefly, the other he spoke with for a long time, and he spoke very good Italian. “The identity of these persons had not been established. Mr D’Ambrosio, SISMI station chief in Milan, had told the prosecutors that it was Mr Castelli, CIA station chief in Rome and responsible for the CIA in Italy, who had planned the Abu Omar kidnapping, and that Mr Robert Lady had been opposed to the plan. According to Mr D’Ambrosio, Mr Robert Lady had asked him to tell his superiors about the plan, in the hope that SISMI would prevent CIA from going ahead with it. Mr D’Ambrosio had raised the matter with his superior, Mr Mancini, head of the counterintelligence division of SISMI. “According to Mr D’Ambrosio, Mr Mancini had not expressed any views on the matter, and only asked whether Mr Lady was the source of the information, which Mr D’Ambrosio had confirmed. Mr D’Ambrosio was not able to go above Mancini, who said that he would convey the message to his superiors. Shortly thereafter, Mr D’Ambrosio was forced to leave the Milan office. Some time later he also left SISMI. The head of the Trieste SISMI office had said that he had been approached by Mr Mancini who had asked if he would be counted on for using ‘unorthodox methods’ with regard to terrorists. He refused and was transferred around the same time as Mr D’Ambrosio. In their investigations, the prosecutor had intercepted telephone communications between General Pignero, and Mr Mancini. The latter had expressed concerns that the prosecutor might identify people who on his orders had carried out checks on Abu Omar in preparation of the kidnapping. Mr Mancini admitted having organised a meeting of SISMI heads from northern Italy where it was decided to carry out the checks. “According to Mr Mancini, General Pollari, the head of SISMI, had given him a list of names, including the name of Abu Omar, and given him indications to keep Abu Omar under observation in the run-up to the kidnapping. Mr Mancini had said that SISMI was only involved in the surveillance before the kidnapping. Mr Spataro had not found any evidence that SISMI had taken part in the kidnapping itself. General Pollari had refused to answer any questions, claiming that the information that he had was classified as a state secret which if revealed would compromise Italy’s relations with other governments. […]” September 7^th, 2006 - Exchange of Views with Carlo Bonini, Journalist of “La Repubblica”, Italy Report by the Council of the European Union “[…] Mr Coelho introduced Mr Bonini - an Italian investigative journalist dealing with national and international cases, including that of Abu Omar. Mr Bonini has been questioned by the Italian authorities and his computer has being searched. […] “Mr Fava (PSE, IT) raised the question of the responsibilities of the Italian and US intelligence. Given that there seems to exist in Italy an agency dealing with particular information from journalists, he wanted to know how it worked, what its structure was and whether Mr Bonini was actually a victim of this particular agency. He also referred to an article by Mr Bonini of 8 July 2006 mentioning a carabinieri marshal who confessed to having taken part in the arrest of Abu Omar and asked whether Mr Bonini had any further information. “Mr Bonini replied that he had found out about the existence of that secret agency in July 2006. Around 5 July, custody measures were taken by the police and his office was searched. He added that the task of the agency seemed to be the collection of data and its transfer to military secret services. He concluded that that office was not simply carrying out studies and gathering information, but rather manipulating information and trying to manipulate public opinion through disinformation. At least one case is known of a professional Italian journalist who was used to try to obtain certain information. Moreover, he claimed that a false dossier was created in order to suggest the involvement of Mr Prodi and that a campaign of disinformation was launched after the Abu Omar case. According to Mr Bonini, it is clear that Italian services were aware of Abu Omar rendition. Although Mr Pironi was the only one who admitted to having been involved in the Abu Omar rendition, investigations by the prosecutor of Milan revealed that the secret services at middle-management level were also involved in the arrest. […]”

Photo Credits 1) This surveillance photo of Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr was found on a CD in the home of the CIA’s head officer in Milano, Robert Seldon Lady, according to Italian police. - 2003 - First published by the Italian newspaper “Corriere Della Sera”;
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