SPANISH COURT DECIDES NOT TO EXTRADITE "ISABELITA"

UNCLAS MADRID 000484 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KJUS PGOV SP SUBJECT: SPANISH COURT DECIDES NOT TO EXTRADITE "ISABELITA" PERON TO ARGENTINA ¶1. (U) Local press is reporting that the Second Section of the Spanish National Court decided on April 28 to deny the request of Argentine authorities to extradite former Argentine President (1974-1976) Maria Estela Martinez, known as "Isabelita" Peron. The 77-year-old former President was wanted for her alleged role in the disappearance of two individuals in February 1976 and her alleged ties to the "Triple A," the Anti-Communist Alliance of Argentina believed to have committed numerous murders and abductions during the beginning stages of Argentina's so-called "Dirty War." The National Court found that the alleged crimes of which she was accused (illegal detention and illicit association) did not rise to the level of "crimes against humanity" as argued by two Argentine judges, and did not warrant the third reopening of a case that had already been closed in 1981 and again in ¶1989. ¶2. (SBU) COMMENT. The Court's ruling may leave it open to criticism for apparent double standards, as Spanish courts have made a great deal of news in recent years pursuing extraditions in connection with notorious human rights cases in other countries (e.g. Chile, Guatemala, Argentina and Rwanda). Llorens