The judge of the 'Miguel Ángel Blanco case' will take a statement from the former head of ETA 'Iñaki de Rentería' this Thursday

The magistrate extended the investigation until August to hear, among others, Gracia Arregui himself

MADRID, 19 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The judge of the National Court (AN) who is investigating the former leadership of ETA for his involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Miguel Ángel Blanco in 1997 will take a statement as being investigated next Thursday, February 23, to the former head of the terrorist organization Ignacio Miguel Gracia Arregui, alias 'Iñaki de Rentería'.

In an order, to which Europa Press had access, the head of the Central Court of Instruction Number 6, Manuel García Castellón, agreed to listen to the former leader of the band by videoconference from the Courts of San Sebastián starting at 12:00 p.m.

This decision comes after the Criminal Chamber of the National Court has fully rejected the appeal filed by the defense of 'Iñaki de Rentería' confirming his status as a defendant in the investigation into the kidnapping and subsequent murder of the PP councilor in Ermua.

In their resolution, the magistrates point out that 'Iñaki de Rentería' alleged that, since the crime was committed in 1997, the statute of limitations is 20 years and the investigation was reopened in March 2022, following a complaint filed by the Dignity and Justice Association (DyJ), the crimes imputed to him have expired.

However, the Chamber emphasizes that "the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court has repeatedly declared that in order to appreciate the prescription in advance there must be no doubt about the concurrence of its assumptions", and that, in the event that there are, "what is appropriate would be to defer the issue to the sentencing court after the oral trial has been held" so that it resolves in the ruling.

The call to court of 'Iñaki de Rentería' also coincides with the extension of the cause agreed by the instructor. In an order, to which this news agency has had access, the magistrate has agreed to continue investigating at least until August "given the nature of the complex facts investigated, the proceedings that remain to be carried out, and the international aspect that the referral entails. and execution of a European arrest and surrender warrant".

The investigator recalled that María Soledad Iparraguirre, alias 'Anboto', has not yet taken a statement as an investigated person, since the court is waiting for the French authorities to give their authorization. "The same situation happens with José Javier Arizcuren Ruiz", alias 'Kantauri'.

It was last March when Judge García Castellón agreed to reopen the investigation into the murder of the Popular Party councilor after admitting a complaint filed by the Dignity and Justice Association (DyJ) for processing.

In its letter, the association directed its accusation against the leaders of the gang at the time of the events: José Javier Arizcuren Ruiz, alias 'Kantauri'; Ignacio Miguel Gracia Arregui, alias 'Iñaki de Rentería'; Juan Carlos Iglesias Chouzas, 'Gaddafi'; Asier Oyarzabal, alias 'Baltza'; María Soledad Iparraguirre, 'Anboto'; Miguel Albisu Iriarte, 'Mikel Antza'; Vicente Goicoechea 'Willy'; Jokin Echevarria and Carlos Ibarguren 'Nerves'.

It should be remembered that, in the case of the murder of Blanco, the First Criminal Section of the National Court already sentenced in 2006 to 50 years in prison the former ETA leader Francisco Javier García Gaztelu, 'Txapote', and his sentimental partner and member of ETA Irantzu Gallastegui Sodupe, 'Amaia', as material authors.