US hands over activist's seized phone to FBI despite Spanish court guarantees
US authorities took the mobile phone of James “Fergie” Chambers from Spanish custody after his July arrest, contrary to written assurances that it would stay under the court’s control.
James “Fergie” Chambers, a US citizen and major donor to left-wing causes, was arrested in Madrid in July and placed in a Spanish prison. After his detention, his cellphone, which the court had pledged would stay under its control, was secretly passed to the FBI, according to his attorney Aitor Martínez. The transfer violates Spanish legal requirements and the bilateral extradition treaty that only allows release of personal effects after a formal extradition decision.
Chambers faces US charges linked to alleged financing of Hamas and participation in a protest against Israeli arms maker Elbit Systems, while he claims the case is politically driven and has applied for asylum. His legal team has filed a petition with an appeals court demanding the phone’s return and a full accounting of who authorized its handover. The matter may involve the Spanish justice minister Félix Bolaños and could set a precedent for future extradition cases.
Why it matters
The case tests the limits of US-Spain extradition agreements and the protection of detainees' rights during politically sensitive prosecutions.
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