Extradition Stopped

SWM - Berlin.   The German Constitutional Court, Bundesverfassungsgericht, stopped the extradition of German citizen Mamoum D. to Spain. D. is suspected of supporting terroristic groups, including Al Quaida, since the late nineties. Most of the allegations are inadmissible before a German Court because it was not illegal before 9/11 in Germany to support violent organizations abroad. Nonetheless, a Spanish court applied for his extradition. D. is not suspected of supporting terroristic acts in Spain. The case is one of the first practical tests of the European Union treaty on extradition, also known as the European arrest warrant. German critics of the treaty and laws based on it call it a violation of German constitutional law. They fear extradition could be used to circumvent fair trials in the surrendering state.