[JURIST] A senior Italian judicial source who asked not to be named has said that the 22 CIA agents accused of kidnapping Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr [Wikipedia profile] in Milan and transporting him out of the country in 2003 in an instance of extraordinary rendition may be tried in absentia in proceedings that could begin within a month. In November, the Milan prosecutor’s office filed an extradition request for the CIA agents [JURIST report] with the Italian government. In December the court issued European-wide arrest warrants [JURIST report].

The conservative Italian government, which has been critical of the prosecutorial effort, still has not responded to the extradition request, but in January it did seek judicial assistance from the US in the case, including permission for Italian prosecutors to travel to the US and gather evidence. The US has not yet responded. Frustrated by obstruction from Rome and Washington, the prosecutors may still insist on going to trial, basing their case on testimony from Mr. Hassan himself, obtained via an Italian telephone-tap, and cell-phone records of the accused CIA agents. Reuters has more.

Previously in JURIST's Paper Chase:

• Italian judge denies immunity claim of CIA agent accused in kidnapping plot
• Italy Justice Minister doubts prosecutor motives for wanting CIA agents extradited
• Italy issues three more arrest warrants in CIA abduction case
• Italy orders arrest of six more CIA agents
• Italian judge orders arrest of 13 CIA agents over imam deportation