An Air Force lawyer has told Italy to lay off Col. Joseph L. Romano III, an officer caught up in a CIA counterterrorism kidnapping case.

Romano is one of 26 Americans being tried in absentia by Italy on kidnapping charges in connection with the abduction of an Al Qaeda suspect known as Abu Omar, in Feb. 2003.

According to charging papers and Italy's indictment, Romano helped a CIA "rendition" team spirit Omar out of Italy through the Aviano air base, after he had been snatched off a Milan street. All the rest of the defendants are alleged to be CIA operatives.

"The decision (to file the motion) was approved by the Secretary of Defense," a Pentagon spokesman said.