[JURIST] An Italian judicial source told Reuters Monday that Italy plans to formally seek the extradition of 13 agents working for the CIA for their alleged role in the 2003 seizure and deportation from Italy of Egyptian imam Abu Omar [Washington Post report]. The same source said Italy might put out a general international arrest warrant for the agents as common fugatives. An extradition request would be the first time that a major US ally has sought the extradition of American agents involved in US "renditions" of terror suspects to other jurisdictions for questioning. The news comes after an Italian judge last week issued domestic arrest warrants on the 13 agents [JURIST report] for abducting Abu Omar. International legal experts consider it highly unlikely [NYT report], however, that the US government would voluntarily turn over its own agents in such circumstances. Reuters has more.
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