ETA terror suspect’s extradition hearing delayed for a month

THE EXTRADITION hearing for Benat Atorrasagasti Ordonez, the man arrested in Leith last month over his alleged ties to Basque separatist terror group ETA, has been delayed for a month.

Ordonez, 36, is wanted by the Spanish authorities to stand trial over his alleged involvement in moving materials, weaponry and men from France to Spain, for the purposes of terror activity and gathering information on public figures including politicians.

In 2008, a French court sentenced Ordonez, in his absence, to five years in prison on charges of criminal conspiracy, carrying out acts of terror and recruiting and training potential members for ETA.

Ordonez denies all the allegations against him, and arrived in Scotland in 2001 and had been working as a delivery driver for a wine company. It is not thought that he had come to the attention of Scottish authorities in the past ten years.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court today, Sheriff Alistair Noble agreed to a request from Ordonez’s defence advocate to continue the hearing until September 7th, with a preliminary hearing set for August 23rd.

Ordonez was again remanded in custody.