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Wanted Eta man appears in court Eta man set to fight extradition
(about 3 hours later)
A convicted Eta killer wanted by a Spanish judge on charges of supporting terrorism has gone to a Belfast court to surrender himself. A convicted Eta killer wanted by a Spanish judge is to fight attempts to have him extradited from Northern Ireland, a Belfast court has heard.
Inaki de Juana Chaos, 53, is wanted on charges that he praised or supported terrorism in a letter read at a rally.Inaki de Juana Chaos, 53, is wanted on charges that he praised or supported terrorism in a letter read at a rally.
Supporters gathered outside the Laganside Courthouse on Monday when he arrived with his lawyer. His lawyers told Belfast Recorder's Court a European arrest warrant issued against him was "fundamentally flawed".
The 53-year-old is believed to have been living in west Belfast since his release from prison in Spain. Mr Chaos was released from a Spanish jail in August after being jailed in the 1980s over 25 murders.
The Spanish authorities issued a European Arrest Warrant to the Police Service of Northern Ireland last Thursday.
As the hearing was due to begin, a lawyer representing the Spanish government said the case could not proceed immediately.
He said Mr Chaos would "be arrested shortly by agreement and then the matter can be brought before the court at some stage".
He said arrangements had to be made for an interpreter.
Mr Chaos was released in August after being jailed in the 1980s over 25 murders.
The case, similar to extradition proceedings, is being heard at the Recorder's Court.
Interpol had been involved in efforts to locate him, and Mr Chaos is believed to have arrived in Ireland earlier this year.Interpol had been involved in efforts to locate him, and Mr Chaos is believed to have arrived in Ireland earlier this year.
The Spanish authorities issued a European Arrest Warrant to the Police Service of Northern Ireland last Thursday.
Extradition proceedings against Mr de Chaos were launched before the court after he surrendered for arrest by agreement.
A number of protesters demonstrated outside the court
A number of protesters, some opposing Eta and others supporting Basque independence, were waiting outside the Laganside Courts complex before Mr de Chaos appeared.
Recorder Tom Burgess was told the arrest warrant states that on the day of his release, on 2 August, Mr Chaos gave an identified woman a letter to be read out in his name urging a continuation of the armed struggle.
A lawyer said this was contrary to Articles 27 and 28 of the Criminal Code in Spain.
He said the equivalent offence within the UK jurisdiction under the Terrorism Act of 2006 was the encouragement of terrorism.
There was legal argument over whether the Spanish offence carried the necessary three-year sentence required for automatic extradition.
A defence lawyer told the court his would fight extradition.
He branded the documents provided by the Spanish authorities as a "fundamentally flawed arrest warrant", and that the "Spanish Government have clearly made an error in law".
The court was told he has been in Northern Ireland for six weeks and that since then he has claimed benefits, enrolled in a local college, and that he had his wife want to build a new life in Northern Ireland.
Mr Burgess said he was minded to grant Mr Chaos bail because he had cooperated with court authorities.
But he also said there were many legal issues to be dealt with, starting on Tuesday, to see if an extradition can even go ahead.