Spanish demand for Belgian ‘ETA’ couple upheld

13 April 2004

BRUSSELS – An 11-year quest by Spain for the extradition of a Belgian couple it
alleges sheltered members of Basque separatist teror group ETA was finally judged admissable Tuesday in a ruling by Belgium’s Court of Appeal.

Luis Moreno et Raquel Garcia, both naturalised Belgians of Spanish Basque origin, are accused by Madrid of hiding members of an ETA commando wanted for the murder of a policeman in Spain.

Separate demands for the extraditions of Moreno and Garcia, presented first in 1993 and again in 1998, while supported by the federal prosecutor’s office were successfully opposed by an examining magistrate assigned to evaluate the evidence presented against the couple.

Spain launched a third demand earlier this year, following the introduction of a new cross-Europe arrest warrant, which was again rejected last month by Brussels magistrates.

Following an appeal the lodged by Belgian prosecutors, the Court of Appeal on Tuesday quashed the refusal and ordered a new hearing of the case by the Court of criminal accusations.

under the new judged inadmissable by an examining magistrate assigned to study . Despite and repeated in 1998, were turned down by Belgian judges. The Belgian 

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

                                                  Subject: Belgian news