News

Spain''s Supreme Court Judge Baltasar Garzon has ordered prison sentences for five of the ten members of the Basque nationalist left-wing, who were arrested last 13th October. Among them were former party spokesman Arnaldo Otegi and Rafa Díez Usabiaga, former Director General of the pro-independence union LAB; both stand accused of forming part of Bateragune, ETA''s political wing.

Speaking on Wednesday, the High Court magistrate (Garzon) declared "proven" the existence of activities and meetings being conducted by Bateragune, "as is the participation of the accused (in such activity)". He went on to say that the investigation and the arrests were carried out appropriately and had "nothing to do with the (otherwise) public or political activity of those arrested," but was purely "for their suspected affiliation to an organization created, developed and directed by... ETA". The judge therefore deemed "necessary" both the detention and imprisonment of the five accused.