C ambodia is seeking the extradition of one of its nationals who was arrested earlier

this month in Italy on suspicion of trafficking children for sex.

In a Dec 11 letter to Italy's ambassador to Thailand, First Prime Minister Norodom

Ranariddh asked for the man to be sent to Cambodia to face trial.

The letter also requested the return of four children who were traveling with him.

Cao Leng Huot, 51, was arrested at Rome's Fiumicino airport Dec 1 after one of the

children told authorities he was not her father.

Airport officials became suspicious after discovering the passport he was carrying

was on a blacklist of stolen travel documents.

Huot had earlier claimed the children - two boys and two girls aged between six and

12 - were his own. They flew to Rome from Phnom Penh via Hong Kong.

Police also discovered photographs of other children in his baggage.