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'Kidnap': Rome urges U.S. respect
 This picture of Osama Nasr Mostafa Hassan was published by an Italian newspaper. SPECIAL REPORTYOUR E-MAIL ALERTSROME, Italy (CNN) -- Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has told the United States to respect Italian sovereignty following the alleged CIA kidnapping of a Muslim terrorism suspect in Milan in 2003. "Berlusconi received ... the United States ambassador, Mel Sembler, to whom he explained the indispensable demand that the United States fully respect Italian sovereignty," the prime minister's office said in a statement Friday. The statement added that Sembler had assured Berlusconi the United States had always respected Italy and would continue to do so in the future. "It was underlined that the close and enduring alliance between the U.S. and Italy is based on the reciprocal respect." A judge last week issued arrest warrants against 13 alleged CIA operatives in connection with the seizure of the Egyptian-born suspected Islamic militant Osama Nasr Mostafa Hassan, also known as Abu Omar, in a Muslim community in Milan. Milanese prosecutors accuse the 13 of having organized the cleric's kidnapping on February 17, 2003, and secretly flying him to Egypt, where he was interrogated and allegedly tortured, a source close to the investigation told CNN last week. The Italian government has said it had no prior knowledge of the operation. However, U.S. sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity told CNN Thursday that the CIA obtained the approval of Italian intelligence counterparts before capturing the cleric. The sources said that was routine in such cases, known as "renditions," and that American and Italian officials agreed that if the matter ever became public, the CIA and Italian intelligence would decline comment, or deny knowledge, the sources said. A CIA spokesman declined comment on the sources' information. The 13 are believed to have left Italy and none have been arrested, according to Reuters. U.S. Ambassador Sembler has been in the United States and returned to Rome Friday. Washington has declined to comment formally on the arrest warrant. CNN Rome Bureau Chief Alessio Vinci and National Security Correspondent David Ensor contributed to this report 
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