World Briefs: Israel military holds largest snap drill in years

ISRAEL

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military on Wednesday conducted its largest snap drill in years as tensions with Iran over its nuclear program rise and civil war in neighboring Syria rages.

Military chief Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz ordered the exercise to test the competence and preparedness of several units in the armed forces, a military statement said.

It called the drill in northern and central Israel “part of a routine inspection” that “does not indicate any changes” in the country’s alert levels.

Tens of thousands were mobilized for the exercise, including artillery and air force personnel, making the drill unique because of the number of soldiers and senior officers involved, several officials said.

As part of the exercise, troops were dispatched by air from central parts of the country to the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan Heights, captured from neighboring Syria in the 1967 Mideast war, the officials said. The drill ended with a live fire exercise in the Golan.

Israeli leaders have repeatedly said they fear Syria’s stockpile of chemical weapons and missiles might fall into the hands of anti-Israel militants during the fighting there.

Israel also is concerned that Iran is close to developing nuclear weapons. Tehran has denied such claims, insisting its nuclear program has no military component.

ITALY

High court upholds American convictions

ROME — Italy’s highest criminal court on Wednesday upheld the convictions of 23 Americans in the kidnapping of an Egyptian terrorism suspect as part of the CIA’s extraordinary rendition program.

The ruling marks the final appeal in the first trial anywhere in the world involving the CIA’s practice of abducting terrorism suspects and transferring them to third countries where torture is permitted.

The Americans all were convicted in absentia following a 3 1/2-year trial, and have never been in Italian custody. They risk arrest if they travel to Europe, and one of their court-appointed attorneys suggested that the final verdict would open the way for the Italian government to seek their extradition.

“It went badly. It went very badly,” attorney Alessia Sorgato said. “Now they will ask for extradition.”

The Americans and two Italians were convicted last year of involvement in the kidnapping of Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, from a Milan street on Feb. 17, 2003.

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