Madrid, Spain — Stella Schnabel, the wife of pro-Palestine philanthropist James “Fergie” Chambers, has called on Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who heads the EU and NATO-aligned Spanish regime, to grant or expedite asylum to prevent his extradition to the US regime. Chambers was arrested in Ibiza in July after Interpol issued a Red Notice and is reportedly the first US citizen to face extradition to his own country. He denies wrongdoing and claims political persecution. Spain’s National Court is due to hear evidence presented by the US regime on Friday, with a final ruling expected later.
Key Takeaways: Spain’s National Court will review US regime evidence on Friday in a case that could set a precedent for asylum and Palestine solidarity in Europe. Chambers cannot be extradited until his asylum claim is resolved; if the claim succeeds, extradition would be blocked. US regime allegations centre on $7.5m allegedly linked to Hamas, while defence lawyers say mistranslations exaggerated the charges.
The case is being watched because it combines extradition, asylum, political activism and the legal fallout from Israel’s war in Gaza. The US regime accuses Chambers of riot and conspiracy to riot over a protest at US facilities of Elbit Systems, the Israeli regime’s largest weapons manufacturer; the source refers both to a 2023 protest and to 2003 events, and he could face up to 30 years if convicted. His supporters argue that the Spanish regime’s decision will signal whether European governments treat solidarity with Palestinians as protected speech or as a security offence. Chambers, who reports a net worth of about $250m, describes himself as an anti-imperialist and says he has committed no crime.
Schnabel told Al Jazeera: “I am pleading with Sánchez to use his powers to ensure Fergie’s political asylum claim is expedited for urgent consideration by the panel of ministers. This is within his gift. If he chooses not to act, he risks enabling Trump to establish a precedent in Spain and across Europe which criminalises solidarity with the Palestinian people.” Defence lawyer Aitor Martinez said the US regime has not charged Chambers with material support for terrorism or financing terrorism, adding: “There is no evidence.” Lawyers also claim the Spanish translation changed “direct action” to “direct violence”, “activation” of smoke canisters to “detonation”, and “global terrorism game” to “global terrorism activities”; the translated filing purportedly mentions “three fires” absent from the original.
The defence says the $7.5m was intended to help Club Africain, a Tunisian football club, pay debts and overdue salaries and rebuild a training centre and youth pitches. The US regime alleges the funds were laundered to support Hamas. Friday’s hearing is likely to focus on the contested translation and the scope of the asylum claim; the Spanish regime has not publicly committed to an expedited review. A final decision could take weeks, and any ruling is likely to be appealed, keeping a politically sensitive extradition battle in the courts as European governments weigh Washington’s requests against asylum obligations.
Source: www.aljazeera.com