Swiss suspend investigation linked to CIA kidnapping of Muslim man

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Swiss authorities have frozen an investigation into CIA operatives suspected of illegally transporting an abducted Egyptian Muslim preacher through Swiss airspace, an official said Friday. "The case was suspended in November 2007," said Jeannette Balmer, a spokeswoman for the Swiss federal prosecutor's office. Switzerland joined Italy, the country from which the preacher was allegedly abducted, and Germany in raising the threat of prosecution of CIA operatives when it authorized the start of criminal proceedings in February. The neutral country, which has cooperated closely with the United States in investigations and attempts to shut down terrorists' funding networks, has generally avoided open disputes with the US government.