Spanish Court Allows Key Witness in Polisario Leader Case to Testify Remotely

The Deputy Director of Operations (DAO), Chief Commissioner José Ángel González, will appear by videoconference on February 7. In an order obtained by La Razón, the judge of the Zaragoza court has asked the Madrid court to prepare a room to allow the DAO to testify. Judge Lasala wants to know if the Spanish Ministry of the Interior has concealed the arrival, on April 18 last, of the leader of the Polisario Front who was being prosecuted at the time for crimes of genocide, torture and kidnapping.

To read: Spanish Hospital Worker Confirms Polisario Leader Used False Identity for Admission

The magistrate also wants to know the reason why the police did not open an investigation after finding that Brahim Ghali was admitted to the Logroño hospital under a false identity (Mohamed Benbatouche). The Polisario Front leader had presented an Algerian passport bearing this name, issued on the day of his arrival in Spain. But he also had a valid national identity document (DNI), it was later learned.

To read: Spanish Judge Probes Police on Polisario Leader’s Secret Entry

Lasala also wants to shed light on the identity of Ghali’s companion at the hospital, who could be his son or the Algerian doctor who accompanied him to Spain. The judge hopes that this hearing will help move this case forward, as the previous testimonies, with the exception of that of the former chief of staff of Arancha Gonzales Laya, Camilo Villarino, have not been useful.