'Eta' suspects extradited to Spain

Inigo Maria Albisu Hernandez, 24, Zigor Ruiz Jaso, 29, and Ana Isabel Lopez Monge, 36, are accused of belonging to Basque separatist group Eta.

The Spanish authorities issued a European arrest warrant in April last year, alleging that on March 28 2006 "they participated in an attack in Spain where an explosive device caused damage to a naval building".

Four days after the warrant was issued the two men and a woman were arrested in the Sheffield area. They were extradited on a flight to Spain which left at midday on Tuesday.

The European arrest warrants (EAWs) stated that the Spanish authorities had information "showing that these three individuals are in Great Britain, waiting to receive instructions from their superiors in order to travel to Spain and commit terrorist attacks".

Last month they appealed to the High Court in London against orders for their extradition made by a district judge at City of Westminster magistrates' court in August.

Their lawyers argued the warrants were defective and returning them to Spain would violate their right not to be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment, and deprive them of other protections under the European Convention on Human Rights.

But the appeals were dismissed.

City of Westminster magistrates' court heard the two men and woman had formed a "reserve cell" after a former "command" was dismantled.

Melanie Cumberland, representing the Spanish judicial authority, said Ruiz was alleged to have been the author of a February 2006 attack, for which Eta claimed responsibility, in Motrico, Spain. It caused no injuries but damaged property.