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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Rome
05 April 2007
The lawyer of an Egyptian imam, believed to have been illegally abducted1 from Milan in 2003 by the CIA, has been in Italy to meet with Italian prosecutors3. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome the lawyer gathered information about an upcoming trial in which his client may lodge4 a civil case.
Montasser Al-Zayat, the lawyer of Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, has been in Italy for a week. He has been trying to learn more about a trial which opens June 8 in Milan.
The trial is the first in Europe for a case of what is alleged5 to have been an extraordinary rendition, the CIA practice of taking an individual from a foreign country to hand him over to another nation for questioning.
Italian prosecutors say Abu Omar was kidnapped from the streets of Milan in February 2003, and flown to Egypt where he says he was interrogated6 and tortured. At the time, Italian authorities say he was under investigation7 for allegedly recruiting Muslim men to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Italian prosecutors have indicted8 26 Americans, most believed to be CIA agents thought to have been involved in the rendition operation, and a number of Italian secret service officials, including the former chief of intelligence.
Lawyer Al Zayat said he would be back for the trial when it opens, but that it was useful for him to come now.
"This trip was very useful because I did not have sufficient information on the upcoming trial. But now I am clearer and have more details on the cases, which regard Abu Omar, the one in which he is the victim and the one for which he is under investigation," he said.
Al Zayat said he met with Armando Spataro, the leading Italian prosecutor2 in the case. Spataro has wanted to speak to Abu Omar, but Egyptian authorities have not responded to his requests.
custody9, 22 Feb 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070530/1056190.jpg" width="175" vspace="2" border="0" /> |
Egyptian cleric Osama Hassan Mustafa Nasr, known as Abu Omar, shows a dark scar on his arm during his first public appearance since he was released from Egyptian custody, 22 Feb 2007 |
Lawyer Walid Mohamed represents Abu Omar's interests in Italy. He says he has sent a letter to the Italian government requesting that damages be paid for the kidnapping, but did not say how much Abu Omar was seeking. He said he would prefer to settle out of court, but was prepared to lodge a civil case.
For the time being, Abu Omar cannot leave Egypt because the authorities have confiscated10 his passport. But Mohamed said he thinks Abu Omar will eventually be able to return.
The lawyer said he does not believe that the Egyptian state is interested in permanently11 keeping Abu Omar in Egypt or barring him from leaving the country.
Mohamed added that Abu Omar is firm in his desire to return to Italy because he wants to show that he is innocent and that he was never involved in illegal activity. If the imam does return, Italian authorities would arrest him on suspicion of terrorist association.
1 abducted | |
劫持,诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 ); 使(肢体等)外展 | |
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2 prosecutor | |
n.起诉人;检察官,公诉人 | |
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3 prosecutors | |
检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 ); 告发人; 起诉人; 公诉人 | |
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4 lodge | |
v.临时住宿,寄宿,寄存,容纳;n.传达室,小旅馆 | |
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5 alleged | |
a.被指控的,嫌疑的 | |
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6 interrogated | |
v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 );审问;(在计算机或其他机器上)查询 | |
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7 investigation | |
n.调查,调查研究 | |
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8 indicted | |
控告,起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9 custody | |
n.监护,照看,羁押,拘留 | |
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10 confiscated | |
没收,充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11 permanently | |
adv.永恒地,永久地,固定不变地 | |
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