A SPANISH judge has asked Interpol to find one of Spain's best known convicted Eta terrorists in Dublin, where he has been living in recent weeks, it has emerged.
The Dublin address for the wanted man stated in yesterday's court petition is the home of James Monaghan, a member of the Colombia Three. The court petition has been seen by The Irish Times.
The man at the centre of the case is Inaki de Juana Chaos. The 52-year-old was sentenced to 3,000 years in prison for a series of 25 murders in the 1980s. He was released from prison after 21 years on August 3rd and flew to Ireland the next day.
However, on his release he wrote a letter expressing his support for the continuation of Eta's Basque separatist terrorist campaign. The letter was read at a meeting and also published in a pro-Eta newspaper.
Mr De Juana Chaos is now wanted for the crime of "terrorism apologist", a serious offence in Spain punishable by a custodial sentence.
The Dublin address stated in the petition by Judge Eloy Velasco at Madrid's special terrorist court is in Killester, Dublin 5. Monaghan was not at home yesterday to answer questions about the latest developments in the case in Spain.
If found here by Interpol a summons will be served on Mr De Juana Chaos to appear for questioning before the Spanish court. He could be arrested by gardaí and extradited.
Gardaí have been aware of Mr De Juana Chaos's presence in Ireland after a tip off from the Spanish authorities via Interpol. He has been under surveillance in Dublin. It is understood he has spent time in Belfast and that the PSNI has been tracking his movements there.
The Irish Timeshas learned that while in Dublin, Mr De Juana Chaos applied for a passport at the Spanish embassy. The contact address on his application is the house in Killester specified by the Madrid court.
In 2006 Mr De Juana Chaos almost died after going on hunger strike. He was protesting at his prison sentence being prolonged by a three-year term after being convicted of making terrorist threats from prison.
His release this year made news worldwide after it emerged he was planning to live in the same apartment block as a number of people widowed by Eta.
News of Mr De Juana Chaos's association with Monaghan will prove embarrassing for Sinn Féin. Party president Gerry Adams recently said the IRA had "left the stage" for good. His comments were made as the DUP questioned the devolution of police and justice powers in the North at a time when it was not convinced the IRA had been completely dismantled.
Last year the Supreme Court in Bogota upheld the 17-year sentences against Monaghan (62) and two other Irishmen for training Farc guerrillas in IRA bomb-making techniques. Monaghan is a former member of the Sinn Féin ardchomhairle.