Basque Extradition Case Adjourned

Just 20 protesters turned up at Belfast's court complex yesterday as one of the two fugitive Basque activists based in NI continued to fight against extradition, writes Carla Liebana.

This preliminary hearing saw Arturo Beñat Villanueva appearing in the city's Crown Court to have his case adjourned.

He was remanded on continuing bail to be returned to the Crown Court at a date that has yet to be set.

Beñat Villanueva, who has lived in west Belfast for more than five years, is accused by the Spanish Government of being a member of the pro-independence political youth organization Haika (previously called Jarrai) in the 1990s.

This group, which is supposedly linked to the Spanish terrorist organisation ETA, was outlawed in 2005 and categorized as 'terrorist' in 2007.

He is also wanted for his failure to attend a court hearing in Spain to answer the charges.

Former Basque prisoner Iñaki de Juana Chaos is also fighting extradition having been charged with glorifying terrorism in a letter - which he insists he did not write - which was read to an earlier Basque meeting in Spain.

'Glorifying terrorism', in word or deed is considered as a criminal offence in Spain.

De Juana was originally condemned to 3,000 years in jail for 25 murders, but he was released in August 2008, after being spent 19 years in prison.

Later, he was accused of being the author of the letter and was arrested in Belfast last year.

De Juana has been on probation under conditions imposed by the Northern Ireland courts since 17th November 2008 and he is also waiting for his extradition hearing. It was postponed last August, and is supposed to be heard soon, at the end of October.

Four months ago, Beñat Villanueva and De Juana Chaos started a signatories campaign for a petition demanding that the British government reject the extradition.

It claims their human rights are being breached by the Spanish government for their political opinions. Last week it reached 1,000 signatures.

Yesterday, the support group 'Don't Extradite the Basques' organized a protest against the Spanish government outside the Courts, when the hearing began.

However, the protest only attracted around 20 protesters including Andersonstown Sinn Féin representative and newly co-opted councillor Caoimhín Mac Giolla Mhín.

She spoke at the event in addition to human rights lawyer Pádraigín Drinan.

Meanwhile, the Sinn Féin MEP, Bairbre de Brún has also been commenting.

"The two men are essentially being pursued solely for their political ideas and the extradition attempts are purely political on behalf of the Spanish authorities and this needs to be challenged and rejected".

"Both men have been living openly in Ireland and Sinn Féin supports the demand for Inaki Iñaki de Juana and Arturo Villanueva to continue to do so," Brún concluded.

See: Suspected ETA Sympathizer Bailed In Belfast Court

(CL/BMcC)