US special forces in Baghdad have captured Abu Abbas, leader of the Palestinian group who hijacked an Italian cruise ship in 1985 and killed a Jewish American tourist. Abbas has been based in Baghdad for the past 17 years, having been freed by the Italian authorities on the grounds of insufficient evidence. They later convicted him in absentia and sentenced him to five life sentences for masterminding the hijacking of the Achille Lauro, which was sailing between Alexandria and Port Said. Abbas has since renounced terrorism and in 1996 he apologised for the death of the American, Leon Klinghoffer. A spokesman for US Central Command said that it was not clear whether Abbas would be extradited but said that he would be brought to justice. Italian Justice Minister Roberto Castelli said that Italy would seek his extradition. The Palestinian authority demanded Abbas's release, saying that his arrest violated an interim peace agreement. 'The Palestinian-Israeli interim agreement signed on September 28, 1995 stated that members of the PLO must not be detained or tried for matters they committed before the Oslo peace accord of September 13, 1993,' Palestinian spokesman Saeb Erekat told Reuters. 'We demand the US releases Abu Abbas - it has no right to imprison him.'