Italian Leader May Testify In Kidnapping
ROME — Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy and his predecessor, Romano Prodi, can be called as witnesses to testify in the Milan kidnapping trial of alleged American and Italian intelligence agents, a judge ruled yesterday.
Two dozen suspected Central Intelligence Agency operatives and the former head of Italy's intelligence services are on trial for the abduction of an Egyptian cleric from a Milan street five years ago. The alleged CIA agents are being tried in absentia and have court-appointed lawyers.
Judge Oscar Magi today approved witness lists including Messrs. Berlusconi and Prodi and other government officials, defense lawyers Nicolo Madia and Alessia Sorgato said. Mr. Madia is part of the legal team defending Italy's former intelligence chief Nicolo Pollari. That team put Messrs. Berlusconi and Prodi on its witness list. Ms. Sorgato represents three of the Americans charged and said she's never met her clients. Twenty-five suspected CIA agents, a U.S. military officer, Mr. Pollari, and Italian operatives are accused of kidnapping Osama Mustafa Hassan Nasr in Milan.
