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Not even the closest allies, it seems, always work together. Italian prosecutors have issued warrants for the arrest of 13 alleged American c.i.a. operatives suspected of abducting Osama Mustafa Hassan, an Islamic cleric in Milan, in order to take him to Egypt. Prosecutors allege that the 2003 operation was an "extraordinary rendition," in which terror suspects are seized and sent to other countries for interrogation and, in some cases, according to former captives, torture.

At the time of his abduction, Hassan was under investigation by Italian authorities for alleged links to al-Qaeda. The Italians say they have photocopies of the Americans' passports placing them in Milan and mobile-phone records showing calls to each other and to Egypt. The c.i.a. and the U.S. embassy in Rome declined to comment. Depending how it's resolved, the episode could add to Italian disenchantment with U.S. foreign policy.

"This was not only gravely illegal, but also very damaging in the battle against terrorism," prosecuting magistrate Armando Spataro told Time.