Spain air traffic row deepens

Spanish air traffic controllers whose wildcat strike paralysed the country's air space and stranded more than 600,000 people yesterday refused to be questioned by prosecutors.

Prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero vowed to use all state powers to ensure that the travel chaos is not repeated over the Christmas holidays.

Madrid's provincial prosecutor said a first group of 12 controllers refused to testify, arguing the investigation should be handled by a military court following the government's use of emergency measures.