For a time presented as one of the leaders of ETA, Mikel Irastorza was sentenced on Thursday January 5 in Paris to three years in prison, including 19 months in prison for terrorist criminal association, not as a leader but as a simple "
active member
of the separatist organization between 2012 and 2016.
This 47-year-old Spaniard, now a journalist for a Basque media, presented himself at the start of the afternoon at the helm of the 16th correctional chamber of the capital's court, speaking in his native language at the assistance of an interpreter.
His arrest in November 2016, in the house of a couple who hosted him in Ascain (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), caused a stir: the Spanish Ministry of the Interior then presented him as "
the highest leader of the group ETA terrorist who escaped justice
".
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At the time, Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA), held responsible for at least 829 deaths in more than 40 years, had decreed in 2011 the end of the armed struggle.
It was in 2017 that the separatist organization announced its "
total disarmament
" before, in 2018, declaring its dissolution.
Indicted shortly after his arrest, Mikel Irastorza was then suspected of having led ETA's logistics apparatus and of having succeeded Iratxe Sorzabal and David Pla, two alleged leaders of ETA, following their arrest. in September 2015 in France.
But at the end of the judicial investigation, the investigating judge pointed out that the investigations had not made it possible to "
determine his role
" within ETA: he had been sent back to court for having been a simple "
active member
.
The Franco-Spanish couple who hosted him, indicted for terrorist criminal association, had benefited from a dismissal.
"Clandestinity"
During the search of the home, computers and hard drives were seized, as well as computer encryption tools.
These media contained “
consequent
” documentation from ETA concerning, among other things, the making of false documents, weapons and explosives, recalled the president of the court.
Read alsoPyrénées-Atlantiques: explosives discovered in a “probable former ETA cache”
The defendant's DNA has also been "
matched
" in the files with genetic records dating from 2012 and 2013, in two previous investigations targeting etarras. “
independence activist
” while repeating not having been “
member of any structure
” and “
even less number one in anything
”.
This dark-haired man, in jeans and a tricolor sweater, with a clean record, claimed to have had a "
meeting
" with members of ETA at the "
end of summer 2012
", in the context of the "
peace process
".
Then followed, according to him, “
a few months
” of “
training
” on “
clandestine life, computers, political debates
” but “
never military training
”.
He assured that he then had no more "
news
" from the organization until 2016, when he was "
asked to keep equipment belonging to ETA
", a "
bag
" containing the computer equipment found in search .
A version little tasted by the prosecutor of the national anti-terrorism prosecution (Pnat), who requested against him five years in prison, including 20 months firm, as well as an entry in the file of perpetrators of terrorist offenses (Fijait).
"
The procedure shows that he associated with many individuals who were members of ETA, some of high rank
", she argued in particular, noting a "
persistent desire to conceal his activities
", a "
mastery cryptology technologies
” and a “
persistent adherence to the Basque nationalist cause
”.
Read alsoSpain: Basque separatists recognize the “pain” caused to the victims of ETA
“
At the start, Mr. Irastorza is presented as ETA's number one.
It is completely false
, ”pleaded Me Serge Portelli for the defense.
“
What we are asking you is to take the measure of what has become of this procedure.
There is almost nothing left, so admit it
, ”he said.
After a short suspension, the court rendered its judgment in the evening.
The fixed part of the sentence corresponds to the months of pre-trial detention and electronic bracelet that the defendant has already served: he will therefore not have to serve it.
Mikel Irastorza was also not registered with Fijait, like most of those convicted of this type of offence.
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