20 people wanted for crimes committed during dictatorship
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| Martín Villa in times gone by |
MADRID -- Interpol has issued 'very urgent' preventative arrest petitions for 20 people wanted by Argentine judge María Servini de Cubría for crimes committed during the Franco regime. The request is for their extradition to Argentina, under the Universal Law principle of international legislation. The order includes two former ministers in the 1970s: José Utrera Molina and Rodolfo Martín Villa, who said on Wednesday that he wants to appear in court to defend himself. It also includes other ex-ministers as well as retired policemen, judges and others.
However, it is unlikely that they will actually be extradited, although the Audiencia Nacional (National High Court) can have them arrested until extradition proceedings are completed. More likely, though, is that they might be put under a lenient house arrest, for instance, with periodic face-showing visits to the court and their passports removed.
