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23/04/2009
Belfast Basque Solidarity Committee Condemn Arrest
The arrest of an alleged Spanish terrorist in Belfast yesterday has been condemned by a local support group.
A spokesperson for the Belfast Basque Solidarity Committee, Kevin Morrison, said the arrest of Arturo Villanueva, who comes from Pamplona (Navarra) "is yet more evidence of the continuation of attacks by the Spanish government on Basque civil society".
He condemned the Spanish authorities' bid to extradite him for "terrorist crimes committed in Spain".
The charges that are attributed to Villanueva - who has since been released on bail - are that he allegedly escaped a prior judgement in relation to membership in a banned youth organisation linked to the Basque radical left.
The Belfast Basque Solidarity Committee demanded an "immediate dropping" of the case against Villanueva, who they said has been living in Belfast for over four years.
The group also complained about the banning of the Basque pro-independence party Batasuna and the imprisonment of its leadership, something they described as "blatant infringements of basic human rights and the freedom of speech within the European Union".
The spokesman quoted the UN Rapporteur on the Protection of Human Rights, Martin Scheinin, who has recently an analyzed the Spanish legislation for countering terrorism.
He considered it to be "too broad" in its Law of Parties and the definition of what can be considered as a terrorist activity, the spokesman said.
He noted that he had proposed "an examination by an expert on Penal Code, in order to improve and clarify the Law of Parties".
See: Suspected ETA Sympathizer Bailed In Belfast Court
(AC/BMcC)
A spokesperson for the Belfast Basque Solidarity Committee, Kevin Morrison, said the arrest of Arturo Villanueva, who comes from Pamplona (Navarra) "is yet more evidence of the continuation of attacks by the Spanish government on Basque civil society".
He condemned the Spanish authorities' bid to extradite him for "terrorist crimes committed in Spain".
The charges that are attributed to Villanueva - who has since been released on bail - are that he allegedly escaped a prior judgement in relation to membership in a banned youth organisation linked to the Basque radical left.
The Belfast Basque Solidarity Committee demanded an "immediate dropping" of the case against Villanueva, who they said has been living in Belfast for over four years.
The group also complained about the banning of the Basque pro-independence party Batasuna and the imprisonment of its leadership, something they described as "blatant infringements of basic human rights and the freedom of speech within the European Union".
The spokesman quoted the UN Rapporteur on the Protection of Human Rights, Martin Scheinin, who has recently an analyzed the Spanish legislation for countering terrorism.
He considered it to be "too broad" in its Law of Parties and the definition of what can be considered as a terrorist activity, the spokesman said.
He noted that he had proposed "an examination by an expert on Penal Code, in order to improve and clarify the Law of Parties".
See: Suspected ETA Sympathizer Bailed In Belfast Court
(AC/BMcC)
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Belfast Backs Basque
Supporters of a Basque man living in Belfast - the Belfast Basque Solidarity Committee - has called for the case against Inaki de Juana Chaos to be dropped. The Spanish prosecution service want to see Inaki de Juana Chaos returned to Spain to face charges, as they said the 53-year-old has praised or supported terrorism in a letter read at a rally.
22 April 2009
Suspected ETA Sympathizer Bailed In Belfast Court
An ex member of a youth group supposedly linked to Spanish terrorist organisation, ETA, is to fight extradition from Northern Ireland. The National Court of Spain had demanded the return of Arturo Villanueva Arteaga, 32. He was arrested early this morning in west Belfast by the PSNI.
Suspected ETA Sympathizer Bailed In Belfast Court
An ex member of a youth group supposedly linked to Spanish terrorist organisation, ETA, is to fight extradition from Northern Ireland. The National Court of Spain had demanded the return of Arturo Villanueva Arteaga, 32. He was arrested early this morning in west Belfast by the PSNI.
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