SISMI, concealed the truth while appearing before the Temporary Committee on 6 March 2006, when he stated that Italian agents had played no part in any CIA kidnapping and that the Italian intelligence services were not aware of the plan to kidnap Abu Omar; 53. Considers it very likely, in view of the involvement of its secret services, that the Italian Government of the day was aware of the extraordinary rendition of Abu Omar from within its territory; 54. Thanks Public Prosecutor Spataro for his testimony to the Temporary Committee, applauds the efficient and independent investigations he carried out in order to shed light on the extraordinary rendition of Abu Omar and fully endorses his conclusions and the decision to bring to judgment 26 US nationals, CIA agents, seven senior officials of the SISMI, an ROS carabiniere and the assistant editor of the 'Libero' daily newspaper; welcomes the opening of the proceedings at the Milan Court; 55. Regrets that the abduction of Abu Omar jeopardised Public Prosecutor Spataro's investigation into the terrorist network to which Abu Omar was connected; recalls that had Abu Omar not been illegally seized and transported to another country, he would have faced a regular and fair trial in Italy; 56. Takes note that the testimony provided by General Pollari is inconsistent with a number of documents found on SISMI premises and confiscated by Milan prosecutors; considers that such documents show that the SISMI was regularly informed by the CIA about the detention of Abu Omar in Egypt; 57. Deeply regrets the systematic misleading, among others, of Milan prosecutors by the SISMI board with the aim of jeopardising the investigation into the extraordinary rendition of Abu Omar; is extremely concerned about the fact that the SISMI board appeared to be working to a parallel agenda , and about the lack of appropriate internal and governmental controls; requests the Italian Government to remedy this situation urgently by establishing enhanced parliamentary and governmental controls; 58. Condemns the fact that Italian journalists investigating the extraordinary rendition of Abu Omar were illegally pursued, that their telephone conversations were tapped and their computers were confiscated; stresses that testimonies from those journalists have been of the utmost benefit to the work of the Temporary Committee; 59. Criticises the length of time it took for the Italian Government to decide to remove from office and replace General Pollari; 60. Regrets that a document on US-Italian cooperation in the fight against terrorism, which would have assisted the investigation into the extraordinary rendition of Abu Omar, was classified by the former Italian Government and that the current government has confirmed the classified status of this document; 61. Urges the Italian Minister of Justice to process, as soon as possible, the requests for extradition of the 26 US nationals referred to, for the purpose of standing trial in Italy; 62. Condemns the extraordinary rendition of Italian citizen Abou Elkassim Britel, who was arrested in Pakistan in March 2002 by the Pakistani police and interrogated by US and Pakistani officials, and subsequently rendered to the Moroccan authorities and PE 382.246v02-00 XM 12/77 RR\382246XM.doc