A Muslim cleric allegedly abducted by CIA agents in Italy and then detained in Egypt was released by Egyptian authorities on condition he did not reveal anything about his kidnapping, independent Egyptian daily Al Masri al Yom reported on Tuesday. Osama Mustafa Hassan Nasr, an Egyptian Muslim cleric also known as Abu Omar, was allegedly kidnapped in February 2003 in Milan under the so-called 'extraordinary renditions' - the secret transfer by the US of terror suspects to detention centers around the world.
The event sparked interest and, from some quarters, outrage in Italy - where top Italian and US intelligence officials are on trial for the abduction - but has raised very little interest in Egypt, where Abu Omar was subsequently detained for four years.
Pro-government newspapers gave very little attention to the news of the cleric's release from jail, where he claims he was tortured.
Indeed local authorities have never officially admitted they were detaining him and Milan prosecutors investigating his abduction asked Egypt twice in vain to question him from October 2004 to mid 2006 without receiving a reply.
Only Masri Al Yom on Tuesday published an article on Abu Omar's case, reporting on his alleged abduction and adding new details to his story.
"According to our sources, the imam was freed after signing a statement while he was detained in the Torah prison in which he vowed not to leave his home and country to testify in Italy at a trial against 23 people including many CIA agents accused by magistrates of playing a role in his kidnapping," the paper reported.
Abu Omar also reportedly promised not to speak to journalists on the issue, nor sue, as he had promised, Italian government officials nor testify against US intelligence agents.
The cleric's lawyer Montasser al Zayat refused to either confirm or deny this report but said his client would sue Italian opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi, who was premier when Abu Omar was kidnapped, and ask for 10 million dollars in compensation.
The cleric's family says Egyptian police brought him back home on 11 February. Abu Omar has reportedly since moved to a secret location known only to the cleric's family and Egyptian authorities.
The event sparked interest and, from some quarters, outrage in Italy - where top Italian and US intelligence officials are on trial for the abduction - but has raised very little interest in Egypt, where Abu Omar was subsequently detained for four years.
Pro-government newspapers gave very little attention to the news of the cleric's release from jail, where he claims he was tortured.
Indeed local authorities have never officially admitted they were detaining him and Milan prosecutors investigating his abduction asked Egypt twice in vain to question him from October 2004 to mid 2006 without receiving a reply.
Only Masri Al Yom on Tuesday published an article on Abu Omar's case, reporting on his alleged abduction and adding new details to his story.
"According to our sources, the imam was freed after signing a statement while he was detained in the Torah prison in which he vowed not to leave his home and country to testify in Italy at a trial against 23 people including many CIA agents accused by magistrates of playing a role in his kidnapping," the paper reported.
Abu Omar also reportedly promised not to speak to journalists on the issue, nor sue, as he had promised, Italian government officials nor testify against US intelligence agents.
The cleric's lawyer Montasser al Zayat refused to either confirm or deny this report but said his client would sue Italian opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi, who was premier when Abu Omar was kidnapped, and ask for 10 million dollars in compensation.
The cleric's family says Egyptian police brought him back home on 11 February. Abu Omar has reportedly since moved to a secret location known only to the cleric's family and Egyptian authorities.
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