Spanish judge Garzon wants move to international court

Crusading Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, on trial for abuse of power in Spain, has asked to be allowed to work for the International Criminal Court, judicial sources said here Tuesday.

Garzon has asked to be allowed to work as an outside consultant for the court based in The Hague for a period of seven months, the sources said.

The court’s chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo made the proposal by letter which was accepted by the 54-year-old Spanish judge who has asked for permission to make the move from Spanish judicial authorities.

Garzon earned his crusading reputation for relentlessly pursuing the prosecution of late Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.

He appeared before Spain’s Supreme Court on Monday to deny any wrongdoing in ordering wiretaps in a probe into a corruption scandal involving members of the main opposition party, lawyers said.

The case is one of three involving Garzon currently being examined by the Supreme Court, over which he risks being suspended from his post.

He also appeared before the court last month in a suspected bribery case involving payments he allegedly received for seminars in the United States.

Garzon was indicted last month for exceeding his authority by opening an investigation in 2008 into crimes committed by General Francisco Franco’s regime in Spain that were covered by an amnesty.