Spanish Government Defends Ex-Foreign Minister in Polisario Leader Entry Scandal

Judge Rafael Lasala, in charge of the Ghali affair, continues to investigate the person responsible for the entry of the leader of the Polisario Front into Spain under a false identity. The magistrate wants to know why the Sanchez government did not identify Brahim Ghali and his son upon their arrival on April 18 at the Zaragoza air base in a medicalized plane from Algeria.

As part of the investigation, the judge went to the military command of Zaragoza airport to find out the conditions under which Ghali entered Spain. The general chief of air mobility, José Luis Ortiz-Cañavate, explained to him that he had received the order from the army general staff not to subject Ghali and his entourage to passport control. Questioned on this subject, Lieutenant General Francisco Javier Fernández Sánchez of the Air Force declared in turn that the orders came from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reports Vox Populi.

To read: Former Spanish Diplomat Summoned in Polisario Leader Entry Probe

The general specifies that he received the orders from the then chief of staff, Camilo Villarino, with whom he exchanged exclusively by WhatsApp. A version confirmed by Villarino in a written response to the judge’s request. He confesses the non-existence of an administrative file concerning the landing of this Algerian plane at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before stressing that this procedure is not irregular and that it "conforms to the legislation in force". These responses led the judge to summon Villarino to testify before the court.

To read: Former Spanish Foreign Minister Faces Scrutiny Over Polisario Leader’s Entry

During his appearance, the former chief of staff declared that he had acted in accordance with the directives of González Laya who had asked him to be discreet in his actions and to authorize the access of an ambulance to the base to transport a man "with an Algerian diplomatic passport" and his son to the hospital in Logroño where he was admitted under the false name of Mohammed Benbatouche. On the basis of these statements, Judge Lasala therefore summoned the former Minister of Foreign Affairs to give her version of the facts and identify the person responsible for the entry of Brahim Ghali into Spain. The magistrate intends to continue the investigation in order to determine the conditions of his transfer by ambulance to the hospital in Logroño as well as those of his departure for Algeria on June 2, after having appeared by videoconference the day before before the judge of the National Court, Santiago Pedraz.