Fergie Chambers Remains in Custody: Audiencia Nacional Rejects Release

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The Sala de lo Penal of the Audiencia Nacional has rejected the request for release from custody of the pro-Palestinian activist and millionaire "Fergie" Chambers. This means the defendant will remain in Spanish pre-trial detention at least until a decision is made on the US extradition request. This is reported consistently by El País and ABC.es.

Why no release?

The chamber rejected the defense's request for release "en un acto" – that is, without a full appeals procedure. It thereby confirmed a decision by investigating judge Antonio Piña, who had already denied Chambers provisional release for the second time on September 9. The judges continue to see flight risk ("riesgo de fuga") as the main reason. According to ABC.es, this assessment explicitly aligns with the vote of the Spanish Public Prosecutor's Office (Fiscalía).

What do the US accuse him of?

According to ABC.es, Chambers has been in custody in Spain since July. The United States accuses him of having supported the activities of terrorist organizations through international money laundering. More detailed information on the alleged facts – amounts involved, recipients, or a specific time period – does not emerge from the available reports.

What happens next?

The decision just made is neither a verdict nor a prejudgment, but purely a matter of detention: the Spanish judiciary does not want to set Chambers free until the extradition decision is made. When the extradition proceedings will be concluded and whether the US will ultimately get him cannot be determined from the available sources. With the phrase "until the clarification of the extradition," El País suggests that the Spanish side is deliberately leaving the outcome open.