30/08/2005 (Agence Europe) - MEP Claudio Fava (PES, Italy) states in a press release that the European External Relations Commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, confirmed in response to a written question that the kidnapping of foreign citizens by the CIA in Italy and in other European countries is in obvious contradiction with fundamental rights and with the protection that States must provide EU citizens and those living on their territory. The press release states that the matter, to be discussed in plenary on 7 September in Strasbourg, concerns: - the Egyptian citizen Hassan Mustapha Osama Nasr, who was kidnapped on 16 February 2003 in Milan, taken to the US base at Aviano then transferred to his country where he is said to have been tortured; - “forced extradition” at the hands of members of the American secret services in December 2001 of two persons who had applied for asylum in Sweden; - the the German national Khaled El Masri, who was kidnapped on 31 December in Macedonia before being transferred to Afghanistan where “it appears he was tortured”. Mr Fava also states that Ms Ferrero-Waldner recognises it is impossible to “establish Community competence” allowing action to be taken in respect of the Member States concerned. Ms Ferrero-Waldner will, however, be renewing contact with Javier Solana and will “put the question to the relevant group in Council”.