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Europe
Early release possible for Algerian-born ETA killer
2006-02-06
The public prosecutor of Spain's Supreme Court has backed a bid by one of the worst ETA terrorists to be released from prison early, it was reported on Friday. Henri Parot, an Algeria-born member of the Basque separatist group, was sentenced to 4,799 years of prison for 82 killings and other crimes, but has applied to the court to be released in 2009 after 20 years of his sentence.
20 years? I thought the Euro maximum was 15, less with good behavior.
The Audencia Nacional, Spain's top court, had ruled that Parot should serve two sentences of 30 years each, which would mean he would stay in prison until 2034. The court said two separate sentences were justified for Parot since he committed his crimes in two separate periods of time through different command structures.

However, the Supreme Court public prosecutor agreed with Parot that he has the legal right to see all his sentences accumulated in one 30-year period, stating legal precedents were on Parot's side.
Aren't they always?
The criminal section of the Supreme Court, which is to rule on Parot's case, though, also has to consider a new charge against him for belonging to a terrorist group. It is alleged that in September 2002, from prison, he was still active in ETA, writing a letter from prison in which he stated to other members that they should "blow up the Bank of Spain, the stock exchanges in Madrid and Barcelona and the head offices of multinational banks". He also asked why the Audencia Nacional had not been blown up.
Posted by:lotp

#3  Thanks.
Posted by: ed   2006-02-06 09:56  

#2  The article "forgets" to mention that the prosecutor of Audiencia Nacional who had been the key figures in teh fight against ETA has been fired (in a way who has caused stir ven between socialist voters) and replaced by a crony of the socialist governemnt. The proposal of freeing ETA unrepentant multi-killers like Parot (1) came the day after the new prosecutor took the job.

About ETA in France: it has been a constant policy of ETA to avoid creating trouble in theirb sanctuary in France. There was a a small surge of non-ETA basque terrorism in France but it was quickly dismantled: difference between French and Spanish Basques is that teh French Basque region is not richer than rest of France and depends in subsidies and tourism of rest of France. This impàeded the development of an ideology who considers Basques as the master race. (2)

(1) 82 killings but the article also "forgets" to mention that 5 of them were children killed in the bombing of a building who housed families of policemen

(2) Sabino Arana founderr of the Basque nationalism clearly stated that Basques were the superior race and others (both Spanish and non-Spanish) were inferiors. In fact I would call them pre-nazi because of the "master race" ideology in them. But it lacks the genocidical component so it is not right. Fascist would not be adequate because while fascism sees the nation as superior and fit to rule neighbours/continent/world it does not necessarily differentiate between citizens of the master nation. Anyway Arana's idology is somewhat in the middle betwen "pure" fascism and nazism.
Posted by: JFM   2006-02-06 09:33  

#1  That's one heck of a parole system in Spain. Eligible for release after serving 0.4% of his sentence.

JFM, I assume Henri Parot is French Basque. Are there many French in ETA and have they committed terrorism in France?
Posted by: ed   2006-02-06 08:57  

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