First CIA rendition trial opens

First CIA rendition trial opens

news.bbc.co.uk

The first criminal trial over the CIA's "extraordinary rendition" of terror suspects has opened in Italy.

Twenty-six Americans and six Italians are accused of kidnapping an Egyptian terror suspect and sending him to Egypt, where he was allegedly tortured.

The Americans - most believed to be CIA agents - will be tried in absentia. Italy has not announced if it will seek their extradition to the Milan trial.

US President George W Bush will arrive in Italy hours after the trial opens.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 8-6-2007 by UM_Gazz]

I wonder if any of the american media will carry this story - doubtful.

Still, it's good to see that there are people out there who still care that other people are being tortured all over the world, in the name of the war on terror.

My own personal opinion is that torture is never justified. Yes, it may "save lives" and make us "safer" but at a cost that is morally far higher.

People die. They die all the time for all kinds of reasons. There are things in the US that kill far more people than terrorism does, on a daily basis. I know terrorism is wrong, but so is torture, and we are measured, and judged, by our deeds in the world.

If we are not able to distinguish between good iraqis, and terrorist and insurgent iraqis, then why should we expect that the rest of the world can tell the difference between the Americans that torture, and the ones that don't? We are the sum of our actions as a whole, as a country, and that has a far more profound impact upon our lives than if even a hundred thousand people were killed by terrorists.


news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

I wonder how this will effect US's and Italy's relations. If the agents are convicted of torture, would US really give them up that easily?

Good question about the US media picking this up. I think that unless Bush speaks about this publicly, no one will report it.

One of the surprise witnesses in the case will be Philip Morse - one of the minority owners of the US baseball team the Boston Red Sox, says our Rome correspondent.

Iieeeee!!! Just as they were having a good year!

I hope this doesn't jinx them!