Italy partially pardons ex-CIA agent in kidnapping case

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) - President Sergio Mattarella partially pardoned an ex-CIA agent convicted for her role in kidnapping Egyptian cleric Osama Moustafa Hassan Nas in 2003 from Milan, the president's office said late Tuesday.

Sabrina De Sousa, 61, was arrested at Lisbon Airport in 2015 and was expected to be handed over to Italy on Wednesday to begin serving a prison sentence.

But according to a statement released by the president's office, Mattarella reduced De Sousa’s sentence from four years to three years.

De Sousa, who has been under house arrest in Portugal since 2015, will not spend any time in an Italian jail.

Matarella's pardon was based on De Sousa’ attitude and “the fact that the U.S. has discontinued the practice of extraordinary renditions,” according to the statement.

De Sousa was among 26 Americans accused of kidnapping Hassan Nas as part of a secret U.S. rendition program by the administration of former U.S. President George W. Bush after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The remaining defendants were convicted in absentia but also received pardons.