Agent 99, Your Shoe Is Ringing

When I first posted back on June 25 about the 13 CIA agents indicted by an Italian judge, and then on July 22 added another 6 CIA agents to the mix, I took the assertion that these were indeed CIA agents at face value. Until tonight, I'm thinking that there had actually been a total of 19 CIA agents involved. Well, now it's doubtful. Victor L. Simpson of the AP reports, via Newsday, that "...the suspects used at least 40 Italian cell phones, some in their own names." ??? We're talking CIA. The Central Intelligence Agency. Spies, Incorporated. Spies R Us. Using their own names, in a foreign country, on an operation? I don't think so. Or how about this? [...] One has been identified by prosecutors as the former CIA station chief in Milan, Robert Seldon Lady, who owns a retirement home in wine country in Asti, near Turin. Though police didn't find Lady there when they raided the house, they did discover a list of hotels where U.S. government employees received discounts, including hotels where prosecutors contend the suspects stayed. [...] Spy (wearing bright blue windbreaker with C.I.A. stenciled in yellow across the back) to desk clerk: Be sure to give me my CIA discount! I don't know who these bozos were, but I'd now put money on them NOT being CIA. Read the whole article. (note: modified to make Spys = Spies, I really need a spell checker!) Tagged as United States, Italy, Milan, CIA, International Relations , Egypt, Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, Abu Omar