'CIA abduction' Egyptian cleric released

An Egyptian Muslim preacher allegedly kidnapped by CIA agents off the streets of an Italian city and taken to Egypt has been released, his lawyer and a security official said today.

Lawyer Montasser al-Zayat said Osama Hassan Mustafa Nasr, known as Abu Omar, was ordered free yesterday by an Egyptian State Security Court that found his detention in Egypt “unfounded”.

Al-Zayat said Nasr was set free from a police station in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria.

A security official confirmed the court’s ruling and Abu Omar’s release.

He was freed and he is now at his family home Alexandria,“ al-Zayat told the Associated Press.

“I talked to him, and he is fine but said he wants to have some rest.”

Nasr was allegedly abducted from a Milan street in February 2003. He was allegedly flown out of Italy and taken to Egypt, where he says he was tortured.

The security official said Nasr would remain in Egypt and would not be sent back to Italy.