Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Spanish judge asks US if it will probe torture


MADRID (AP) — A Spanish judge said Tuesday he will ask the United States if it plans a probe of six senior Bush administration officials accused of creating a legal framework for torture of terror suspects, before deciding whether to open his own investigation.

Judge Eloy Velasco said Spain can act only if the United States has not conducted a torture investigation of its own and does not plan one.

Velasco is handling a complaint filed by human rights lawyers under Spain's principle of universal justice, which holds that grave crimes like terrorism, genocide or torture can be prosecuted here even if alleged to have been committed abroad.

"As we are in a preliminary phase, it seems more in line with our complex system of universal prosecution" to ask the Obama administration what its plans are for the six Bush administration officials named in the complaint, including former US attorney general Alberto Gonzales, Velasco wrote in a five-page ruling.
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1 comment:

airJackie said...

Spain is just the first other countries will follow with their own charges against the Bush Team.