Special to the WJH
One of the two terrorists arrested in the death of Waycross native Sgt. Kennedy L. Sanders has been released from prison in Italy.
Mohammad Abedini, who has returned to Iran, was released by an Italian court Sunday, January 12, global news reports said. Abedini was arrested December 16 in Italy on a U.S. warrant for supplying drone technology to Iran.
The technology was used in the January 28, 2024, drone attack in Jordan that killed Sgt. Breonna Moffet, Sgt. William Jerome Rivers and Sgt. Sanders, all from Georgia.
Three days after Abedini’s arrest, Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was detained and imprisoned in Tehran.
Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio said under Italy-U.S. extradition treaties, “only crimes punishable according to the laws of both sides can lead to extradition.”
The ministry said the charge against Abedini, criminal association for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act which is a U.S. federal law, “did not correspond to any conduct recognized by Italian law as a crime.”
The timing of both arrests and releases has led to speculation among global news sources Sala was used as a bargaining chip in exchange for Abedini’s release. The U.S. State Department had no comment on the report.
Also arrested and charged in the drone attack is Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, an Iranian-U.S. national who worked for a Massachusetts-based semiconductor company.
A U.S. Army carry team salutes February 2, as a vehicle with the remains of Army Sgt. Kennedy Sanders, Army Sgt. William Rivers and Army Sgt. Breonna Moffett prepares to depart Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. FILE PHOTO
