Al-Qaeda prosecutor says justice must prevail

28 June 2005

MADRID — The lead prosecutor at the trial of 24 men accused of constituting an Al Qaeda cell has called for the court to hand down an “exemplary sentence” to demonstrate that terrorism can be dealt with without “wars or detention camps”.

The trial in Madrid of suspected Al Qaeda members, three of whom the prosecution accuses of having links to the 9/11 attacks began in April.

The trial is taking place amid high security on the outskirts of the Spanish capital.

Prosecutor Pedro Rubira defended the European approach to fighting Islamic terrorism, arguing that “we do not need detention camps or wars, but trials of this type where the rule of law is strengthened”.

“The people who stand accused today are not on trial for being Muslims, but for being terrorists,” Rubira said.

During his closing statement, Rubira addressed the court directly several times and called on the judges to hand down an “exemplary sentence” based on the evidence in “proceedings that have been very complex”.

“If terrorism is global, we have to fight it with global verdicts. Consider that what you are preparing to do is not only going to affect Spain, but the world,” Rubira said.

Before the prosecutor closed his case, defence attorneys for the 24 accused hammered home their arguments and called for acquittal.

All the accused deny the charges.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news