Arrest warrants issued for 'CIA operatives'

A Milan judge has issued European arrest warrants for 22 purported CIA operatives in connection with the alleged kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric in 2003, a prosecutor said today.

Prosecutor Armando Spataro said the warrants allowed for the arrest of the suspects in any of the 25 European Union member countries. Previously, Italy had issued arrest warrants for the 22 inside Italy.

Spataro has already sought the extradition of the 22. However, the request has remained with Justice Minister Roberto Castelli, who has requested further court documentation on the case before making any decision on whether to pass it onto the United States, Spataro said.

Earlier this week, Premier Silvio Berlusconi suggested the government may not push the prosecutors’ request with Washington saying, “I don’t think there is any basis in the case.”