Ex-CIA Agent’s Appeal Fails, Faces Extradition to Italy for Kidnapping

Portuguese Court Declines to Hear Appeal to Extradition

Former CIA agent Sabrina De Sousa’s final appeal to the Portuguese constitutional court has failed, and her extradition process to Italy, as ordered by a court back in January. There has been no date set for the official transfer by Interpol to Italian authorities.

De Sousa was a CIA operative posing as a diplomat in Italy in 2003, and was among the 22 CIA agents convicted in absentia in 2009 for her involvement in the kidnapping of Muslim cleric Abu Omar off the streets of Milan.

The February 2003 kidnapping of Abu Omar was a major cause celebre in Italy, and among the highest profile extraordinary rendition cases. He was kidnapped and sent to Egypt as a “terror suspect,” where he was tortured in custody for years. In 2007, the Egyptian government ordered him released, saying his detention was unfounded.

In 2013, De Sousa accused the US of encouraging the Italian prosecution of lower ranked agents like herself to “shield higher-ups” who had actually approved the operations. In October she was detained at the Lisbon airport related to her conviction in Italian court. She faces a six-year sentence.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.