Basque leadership face jail
The entire leadership of the Basque party Herri Batasuna expect
to be imprisoned within days. They were sentenced to 7 years each
on Monday for ``collaborating with a terrorist organisation''.
Speaking from his home in Bilbao on Wednesday night, HB leader
Karlos Rodriguez told An Phoblacht he expects to be taken to jail
next week.
Rodriguez, who was a visitor to Sinn Féin's Ard Fheis two years
ago, said it was clear that the trial was a political, not a
judicial process. ``There was no reason to sentence us on the
evidence. The decision was taken beforehand. This is the Spanish
government saying they are ready and able with the justice system
to punish even the legal parts of the independence movement. They
are sending a message that they are ready for war.''
Since the verdict the HB leadership has spoken to a range of
political and trade union groups in the Basque Country. ``We are
expecting strong support in our campaign against this political
sentence,'' Karlos said.