Panama releases CIA operative wanted in Italy for kidnapping WASHINGTON, July 19 (UPI) -- Authorities in Panama on Friday released a former CIA operative who is wanted in Italy over his conviction in the 2003 kidnapping of Muslim cleric in Milan. Robert Seldon Lady was detained by border officials as he entered Panama Wednesday, then released Friday, The Washington Post reported. "It's our understanding that he's on a plane en route to the United States right now," a senior official with President Barack Obama's administration said. Lady is wanted in Italy, where he faces a sentence of a possible nine years in prison for his role in the CIA capture of a terrorism suspect who was taken from a street in Milan and transported to Egypt in 2003. He was convicted of kidnapping along with 23 other U.S. government employees in 2005. The defendants in the case left Italy before trial but were convicted in absentia. The United States attempted to persuade Italy to drop the charges against the defendants. Since leaving Italy, Lady has been living in Latin America and working there for the CIA. It was not clear whether the United States would extradite Lady to Italy.