Trial of 2017 Barcelona and Cambrils Terror Attacks

The trial of the 2017 Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks is due to start in the upcoming months at Spain’s National Court. Three suspects will be tried for terrorism, but not murder.

During the pre-trial procedures, the court said there was not enough evidence to attribute a direct role to the three men in the deaths of the victims who died in the attacks in the Catalan capital and the nearby seaside town.

Mohamed Houli Chemlal and Driss Oukabir are accused of belonging to a terrorist organization, making and using explosives, while Said Ben Iazza is accused of collaborating with a terrorist organization. Mohamed Houli Chemlal and Driss Oukabir have been in preventive detention since August 2017, while Said Ben Iazza has been in custody since September of the same year.

Spain’s public prosecutor requests a 41-year sentence for Houli for allegedly being involved in planning the attacks and preparing the bombs. The Catalan government, acting as private prosecutor, requests 44 years for him, and the Barcelona local council, 95. Yet, they are not being accused of murder due to not having been directly involved in the incident, although the Catalan executive has made clear this might change after the trial starts.

For Driss Oukabir, brother of one of the terrorists shot dead by the police, the public prosecutor requests 36 years behind bars, and for the third accused, Said Ben Iazza, an 8-year sentence.

The Spanish government still refuses to carry out an independent investigation into the attacks, though there are concerns regarding alleged links between the secret services and the suspects.

The Catalan Government to Seek Negotiations in Brussels if Madrid Denies Self-Determination

Catalan President Quim Torra announced during an interview with the Catalan News Agency (ACN) his intention of seeking negotiations with the EU if Spain continues denying the Catalans their right-to self-determination. It comes after “finding” that conversations with Madrid so far has only translated into “photos.”

“It is enough to deceive us. But are they willing to negotiate self-determination? If not, we will negotiate in Brussels and we will not waste any more time.”

The President affirms that his administration will only meet with the PSOE and Podemos government if they write on a paper the conditions for a referendum and amnesty for the political prisoners. “If we don’t see it on a paper, we will not go to the negotiating table again, and we will go to Europe instead” he warned. In this line, the head of government urges Madrid to answer whether or not it is “willing” to negotiate self-determination.

“Have we come to the conclusion that it is impossible for a pro-independence activist to be judged with state neutrality? And have we concluded that they are about to disqualify a president for displaying a banner calling for freedom of expression? The same will happen with the dialogue then, and we will only find negotiation outside the [Spanish] state,” he asserted.

Unity

Torra asks pro-independence forces to achieve a programmatic agreement on self-determination. “What I expect from the parties is a clarification in their electoral programs on how we can move forward towards the Catalan republic,” he explained. According to the President, it is necessary to “clarify” the commitment to “exercise the right to self-determination again.”

Unionism

The President also asked the Catalan unionism to make its own self-criticism with proposals on how to deal with the current situation: “How do they plan to address the fact that the state cares very little or nothing about the funds that correspond to Catalonia?” he asked.

Elections

Spain’s Supreme Court will hold a hearing on Catalan president Quim Torra’s disqualification on September 17. If the judges confirm the disqualification ruled by the Spanish high court in Catalonia (TSJC), Torra would be ousted from his position.

The President affirmed last year that he would call for elections before being disqualified, which could happen in the next few weeks. It remains unknown whether he has changed his mind due to the Covid-19 health crisis.

The Spanish Government Still Provides Protection For Former King Juan Carlos I

On Monday, Spain’s interior minister, Marlaska, confirmed that the Spanish government was still providing protection for former King Juan Carlos I, who fled the country last week over allegations of corruption and money laundering. He is believed to have settled in a luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi. The cost per night is over €10,000.

Marlaska: “It is reasonable and timely that the Minister of the Interior does not give any information about it [where the King is], but what no one can forget is that we are talking about the person who was the head of State in Spain. His security obviously concerns the Spanish state.”

PM Pedro Sánchez affirmed that he didn’t know the whereabouts of the monarch, but the minister of the interior’s statements suggests his administration is closely monitoring the former king’s steps.

Last week, the state-owned public broadcaster RTVE revealed that the government had been negotiating the self-imposed exile of the monarch with the Royal House over a period of weeks, meaning it had helped the monarch to flee the country.

Investigations

Juan Carlos is under investigation in Spain for his role in a deal in which a Spanish consortium landed a €6.7 billion contract to build a high-speed rail line between the Saudi cities of Medina and Mecca.

Swiss prosecutors are also investigating a $100 million bank account held by the monarch in the country. According to the investigations, Juan Carlos allegedly received a “donation” of $100 million from the king of Saudi Arabia that he put in an offshore account in 2008. A few years later, he allegedly “gifted” 65 of those millions from that account to his ex-lover Corinna Larsen.

It is still too early to know whether Swiss and Spanish justice will convict the former king, Juan Carlos I, of corruption and money laundering. However, this case has already shown that the Spanish government has helped someone under investigation over corruption and money laundering to flee the country and is still providing him protection. There is, then, little doubt the Spanish administration is trying to shore up the 78 regime.

The Self-Proclaimed “Most Progressive Government in History” Helps Former King, Juan Carlos I, Flee Spain Over Corruption and Money Laundering Allegations

On Monday, the Spanish Royal House confirmed what many already knew: former King Juan Carlos I had fled Spain following allegations of crimes of corruption and money laundering that have harmed the reputation of the monarchy including his son, King Felipe VI. According to the Spanish media, Juan Carlos is currently staying in a luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

He is currently under investigation by the Spanish Supreme Court for his role in a deal in which a Spanish consortium landed a €6.7 billion contract to build a high-speed rail line between the Saudi cities of Medina and Mecca.

Swiss prosecutors are also investigating a $100 million bank account held by the monarch in the country. According to the investigations, Juan Carlos allegedly received a “donation” of $100 million from the king of Saudi Arabia that he put in an offshore account in 2008. A few years later, he allegedly “gifted” 65 of those millions from that account to his ex-lover Corinna Larsen.

The former king lost his immunity in June 2014 following his abdication, meaning he can be tried in Spain, though there are suspicions the Spanish Supreme Court, a body never reformed during the so-called “transition,” could favor him.

The self-proclaimed “most progressive government in history” officially said it “respected” the decision of the King Emeritus to leave Spain. The state-owned public broadcaster RTVE revealed that the government had been negotiating the self-imposed exile of the monarch with the Royal House over a period of weeks.

Podemos party said that they did not know anything about the negotiations, even though they are a part of the government. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, Podemos should have quit the coalition immediately. Instead, its leader, Pablo Iglesias, called for people to understand that PSOE and Podemos have different views of the monarchy and ruled out any risk of rupture of the coalition government.

What Podemos seems to forget is that they are co-responsible for any action taken by the government — they form part of it. The reality is that their government allegedly helped Juan Carlos flee the country in the midst of serious investigations for alleged corruption and money laundering — this is unacceptable.

Sooner or later, an international independent investigation should take place into how Juan Carlos fled the country. Many clarifications are still needed:

– Did he flee the country with an official plane?

– Does he still have an official escort?

– Has the government provided him any financial assistance?

– What government/s are giving him sanctuary?

– Who allowed him to go?

– What are the legal aspects of this?

– Did the government do anything illegal in negotiating his exit while he is being investigated?

– etc.

Whether this investigation will take place in the future is still unknown, but this case has already shown that the so-called “most progressive government in history,” is not so very progressive and is actually contributing to the shoring up of the 78 regime.

The Spanish Government and the Prosecutor’s Office Break Dialogue by Suspending the Open Prison Regime for Seven Catalan Political Prisoners

Between Tuesday and Thursday, two courts suspended the open prison regime for the Catalan political prisoners Oriol Junqueras, Raül Romeva, Jordi Sànchez, Quim Forn, Jordi Cuixart, Jordi Turull and Josep Rull. They were all forced to re-enter prison.

This decision came after the public prosecutor’s office, under the Spanish government’s control, appealed against allowing them to benefit from the open prison regime because according to the prosecutor, giving them this category creates “a sense of impunity.”

The judges’ sudden decision confirmed the impossibility of dialogue with the state. From now on, they will not be able to have either the open prison regime or the 100.2 regime, so they will not be able to go out to work either.

During the election campaign Spain’s PM Pedro Sánchez affirmed he was controlling the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Due to lack of interest or fear of a crisis among prosecutors, there has not been any change in trend in relation to the pro-independence leaders in comparison with the previous administration.

Reactions in the pro-independence camp

Catalan president Quim Torra said that it was an act of “vengeance” and warned the Spanish government that it must “demonstrate a desire to end hostilities against the independence movement” for dialogue to be able to take place.

Catalan Vice-President, Pere Aragonès, accused the Spanish government of “rupturing” talks and warned that negotiations were not possible without amnesty.

Jailed Catalan leader Jordi Sànchez: “It’s time to stop giving them votes,” he said, referring to ERC’s support of the Spanish government.

Jailed Catalan leader Jordi Cuixart: “We do not want an individual solution for each of us. We want an end to repression, amnesty and a political solution to the political conflict. You have no obligation to obey unjust laws. You must disobey as many unjust laws as necessary.”

Jailed Catalan leader Oriol Junqueras: “They are afraid of us because they know that they will not beat us at the polls. That is why they want to exercise influence through imprisonment and repression and forced exile, because they cannot exert influence through social and parliamentary channels,” he said.

Jailed Catalan leader Quim Forn said that every act of repression makes them, the political prisoners, stronger.

Jailed Catalan leader Josep Rull warned that the Supreme Court has had to “scrap its own rule of law” and reinterpret prison law to jail them again.

Jailed Catalan leader Jordi Turull called for unity between pro-independence forces.

The Spanish Supreme Court ruling on the Catalan political prisoners last October does not establish any clause that inmates must serve a given percentage of the sentence before accessing leave permits. However, the high court has suddenly declared itself competent to decide on this matter meaning the repression against the Catalan political prisoners and the pro-independence movement is not going to lessen in the foreseeable future.