Extradition Updates—John Boultbee and CIA Agents

As we noted yesterday, Lord Conrad Black appeared at his arraignment in Chicago, where he pleaded not guilty. In so doing, he has made it unnecessary to seek his extradition. Lord Black’s co-defendant, Peter Atkinson also appeared and pleaded not guilty as well.^[1] Absent from the arraignment was Lord Black’s other co-defendant, John Boultbee, who we mentioned on Wednesday had angered the Court for failing to show up for that day’s scheduled arraignment. Mr. Boultbee is now expected to appear some time next week and plead not guilty.^[2] If he does appear, his extradition, of course, will become unnecessary.

In other international extradition news, Italy’s Minister of Justice, Roberto Castelli is still reviewing the extradition request for 22 CIA agents wanted for kidnapping popular Milan Imam Abu Omar.^[3] In an interview with APcom, Mr. Castelli is quoted as saying “''We are looking at the cards to evaluate what decision to take.”^[4] This statement comes on the heels of a decision by Milan Judge Enrico Manzi that retired CIA officer Robert Seldon Lady—who is linked to the Abu Omar kidnapping—did not have diplomatic immunity.^[5]

Mr. Lady is being prosecuted for his alleged role in the kidnapping, and had argued that had diplomatic immunity as chief of the CIA’s operations in Milan, or that national security interests prevented his prosecution.^[6] It was determined that Mr. Lady lost his immunity when he retired, and, in any event, would not have immunity for a serious crime like kidnapping, even if he was still the chief of CIA operations in Milan.^[7] Mr. Lady appealed the ruling and lost, which could mean that much more light will be shed on this subject.

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[1] Paul Waldie et al., Black Pleads Not Guilty, Globe and Mail, Dec. 2, 2005.
[2] Id; see also Tara Perkins, Black Freed on $20 Million US Bail After Pleading Not Guilty to Fraud Charges, Canadian Press, Dec. 2, 2005.
[3] Italian Justice Minister Studying Extradition Requests for Purported CIA Operatives, Associated Press, Dec. 2, 2005. (Not readily available online)
[4] Id.
[5] John Crewdson, et al., CIA Retiree Loses Appeal in Italy, Chicago Tribune, Dec. 1, 2005.
[6] Id.
[7] Id.