National
Belfast Court refuses to extradite ETA youth activist
By h.b. - Nov 18, 2009 - 5:00 PM
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Arturo Villanueva Arteaga - EFE archive
The European extradition request presented by Spain was considered by the judge as being too vague.
Belfast Recorder Judge, Thomas Burgess, has thrown out a request from Spain for the extradition of the Jarrai (ETA youth wing) activist, Arturo Villanueva Arteaga, considering it not sufficiently detailed and therefore not meeting the requirement of the British 2003 extradition law.
Villanueva, who is now 33, was about to be tried in Spain for being a member of Jarrai in 2007, but he fled the country before the case came to court. Since then he has been living in Belfast where he presents a weekly radio programme and runs a tourist business.
Spain now has the chance to appeal. Firstly to the Belfast Appeals Court, and then to the new Supreme Court in London.
The Recorder is also considering the extradition of ETA veteran, José Ignacio de Juana Chaos, who faces charges of glorifying terrorism, having already served 20 years in prison for 25 murders. That case is awaiting the decision of the judge.