ENEKO:BASQUE SEPARATIST IN COURT OVER KING OF SPAIN ASSASSINATION BID
An alleged Basque terrorist accused of trying to assassinate the king of Spain refused to consent to extradition today (thurs).
Eneko Gogeaskoetxea Arronategui, 44, was arrested earlier today in Cambridge for the 1997 assassination attempt on King Juan Carlos at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
A police officer was killed in the incident in the Guggenheim Gardens, after which he hijacked three cars to escape, City of Westminster Magistrates Court heard today (Thurs).
He is wanted for membership of the Basque terrorist group Eta, attempted assassination of the king of Spain and murder of a policeman, said James Stansfeld, for the extradition authorities.
Arronategui faces further charges of possession of ammunition,three charges for theft of vehicles and one of forgery.
Arronategui, who had been living in the UK under the name of Cyril Macq, said he would not agreed to be extradited at the15 minutes hearing today.
Dressed in a blue t-shirt and camel trousers, Arronategui replied ‘No, I don’t accept it,’ when asked if he would agree to be sent to Spain.
Mr Stansfeld said that he apeared before the court after being arrested in Cambridgeshire at 8.55 this morning, where he had been living under an assumed name.
He was requested by Spanish authorities in an European arrest warrant issued to the UK earlier this year for the alleged assassiation.
‘The requested person was stopped while he was in the Guggenheim gardens filling window boxes with ammunition and grenade launchers,’ said Mr Stansfeld.
‘To effect his escape the officer who stopped him was shot and killed.
‘In order to effect his escape throughout the city, he hijacked three cars to evade capture.’
Katrina Orme, for the defence, said that Arronategui would not be accepting extradition.
‘The issues really are to do with the nature of the charges,’ she said.
‘There’s potential issues under the right to a fair trial considering the nationality and status, and also issues about political motivation as far as far as the membership of the organisation is concerned.’
No application was made for bail at the hearing today, but Mr Stansfeld said he would be opposing any application on the grounds that Arronategui might try to flee.
The Basque separatist group Eta, who Arronategui is alleged to be involved with is ‘an established terrorist organisation,’ he said.
‘I would certainly supply him with the means, I would submit, and the contacts to hide from the authorities in this jurisdiction,’ he said.
The judge noted that no bid had been made to grant bail, but said: ‘There are substantial grounds to believe you may not attend these proceeding as and when you are required.’
A warrant for Arronategui’s arrest was issued by the Spanish authorities on 5 May this year, and approved by the serious crime organisation on 13 June.
Arronategui was arrested this morning in Fortescue Road, Arbury in a joint operation involving the Metropolitan and Cambridgeshire police forces.
He was remanded in custody ahead of his next court appearance on July 25, where he will appear via video link from prison.
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