The driver of a Spanish train that derailed at high speed was questioned by a judge yesterday as officials tried to determine if he was responsible for the accident, which killed 79 people.

The death toll from Spain’s train derailment has risen to 79 after an injured passenger died in a hospital.

The driver of the train which crashed in north-west Spain, killing 78 people, is appearing in court this evening.

The injured driver of the Spanish train that derailed at high speed, killing 78 people and injuring dozens more, has been released from hospital but is still being held in a police station as authorities increasingly focus on his culpability.

The driver whose speeding train crashed, killing 78 people, is now being held on suspicion of negligent homicide, Spain’s interior minister says.

The Spanish justice department has said the driver of the train that derailed on Wednesday will not be appearing before a judge today as had been hoped.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has instructed his lawyers “to carry out a legal action” to protect his rights.

Crusading former Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon has agreed to represent WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange free of charge, saying he is neither a pirate nor a terrorist.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has hired Spanish jurist Baltasar Garzon as a legal adviser as he seeks political asylum in Ecuador, the country’s foreign minister Ricardo Patino said.

Spain’s Supreme Court yesterday quashed a bribe-taking case against rights judge Baltasar Garzon, who has already been barred from the judiciary for 11 years.

Spain’s Supreme Court convicted judge Baltasar Garzon in an illegal wiretapping case, crushing the career of a man who won world renown for pursuing human rights abuses.

The Spanish judge famed for pursuing international human rights cases has been convicted of overstepping his jurisdiction in a domestic corruption probe.

The Spanish judge known for investigating crimes against humanity took the stand in his own trial, rejecting charges that he had overstepped his jurisdiction by probing right-wing atrocities linked to the Spanish civil war.

Brandishing black and white photographs of dead parents, scores of angry Spaniards rallied to condemn the High Court for putting on trial the judge who tried to inv-estigate their relatives’ fates.

A SPANISH judge who became an international human rights hero by indicting former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet yesterday denied any wrongdoing as he went on trial over his handling of a domestic corruption probe.

Spanish shepherds are leading flocks of sheep through the streets of Madrid in defence of ancient grazing, migration and droving rights threatened by modern life.

THE introduction of a two year-cycle for the European Championships was originally met with scepticism, particularly as it means an extra event in Olympic year but Joanne Cuddihy is one athlete who welcomes the decision.

THE crusading Spanish judge who brought charges against Augusto Pinochet and Osama bin Laden was suspended yesterday, a possible end to his career.

The crusading Spanish judge who brought charges against Augusto Pinochet and Osama bin Laden was suspended today, a possible end to his career.

SPAIN’S most prominent judge, already charged with abuse of power in a potentially career-ending indictment, denied any wrongdoing as he testified yesterday as a suspect in a separate bribery investigation that has compounded his woes.

THE Spanish judge who became an international hero by going after Augusto Pinochet and Osama bin Laden was indicted yesterday for daring to investigate what is arguably Spain’s own biggest unresolved case — atrocities committed during and after its Civil War.

A Spanish court will consider opening a criminal case against six former Bush administration officials, including former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, over allegations they gave legal cover for torture at Guantanamo Bay, a lawyer said.

A Spanish judge opened a criminal investigation into the country’s civil war atrocities today, the first official inquiry into one of the darkest chapters of its history.

A Spanish judge started proceedings against 40 members of the Rwandan military today on charges of terrorism and genocide.

Thirty people went on trial today accused of plotting to blow up a Spain’s main anti-terror court with a bomb that could have killed 1,000 people.

A Spanish judge jailed 17 members of Batasuna – the banned political wing of the armed separatist group ETA.

A judge today began questioning 23 senior members of Batasuna – the banned political wing of the armed separatist group ETA – arrested in raids in the northern Basque region.

A senior member of the Basque separatist movement said the arrest of 23 of his fellow party members amounted to a “declaration of war” by the Spanish government.

The former Chilean dictator remained stubbornly opposed to any efforts to bring him to trial, writes Chris Moncrieff.

FIFTY-SIX people went on trial yesterday on charges of raising money and engaging in other activities for Basque separatist group ETA through a network of social and political groups.

Mar Roman, Madrid

An alleged al-Qaida militant cried today after taking the stand on charges that he belonged to a cell accused of helping plot the September 11 attacks, and he said he had testified in Spain under duress.

Twenty-four men will go on trial in Spain today as suspected members of an al-Qaida cell charged with using their new homeland as a staging ground for the September 11, 2001, attacks.

A former Argentine navy officer who once admitted to throwing drugged, naked dissidents to their death from airplanes during his country’s “dirty war” recanted as he took the stand yesterday at his trial in Madrid on charges of genocide, torture and terrorism.

A Spanish judge indicted eight people on terrorism charges today, saying they had provided logistical help and false documents for suspects in the 9/11 attacks in the United States.

A FORMER Argentinian naval officer, who has admitted throwing 30 drugged, naked dissidents off aircraft into the Atlantic during his country’s Dirty War, went on trial for genocide in Spain yesterday.

A former Argentinian naval officer, who has admitted throwing 30 drugged, naked dissidents off aircraft into the Atlantic during his country’s Dirty War, went on trial for genocide in Spain today.

A former Argentinian navy officer went on trial in Madrid today on charges of genocide, torture and terrorism committed during his country’s “dirty war” more than two decades ago.

The suspected leader of a Muslim cell that allegedly plotted to blow up Spain’s National Court in Madrid hoped to kill senior judges and destroy massive case files on Islamic terror probes, officials said today.

Osama bin Laden is not able to order operations from his hideout in Central Asia and focuses solely on trying to evade capture, one of Europe’s top anti-terrorism officials said Friday.

Morocco – home to most of the suspects in the Madrid train bombing – is teeming with some 100 al-Qaida-linked cells that are capable of suicide attacks, and pose Europe’s biggest terrorist threat, Spain’s leading anti-terrorism judge has testified.

At least 21 children and two adults were killed in Colombia when a construction crew’s earth moving machine tumbled down a steep hillside onto a major highway and crushed a school bus, officials said.

A MOROCCAN fugitive sought in connection with last month’s Madrid train bombings was indicted yesterday on charges of helping plan the September 11 attacks in New York.

A fugitive sought in connection with the Madrid terror bombings, was indicted today on charges of also helping plan the September 11 attacks in the United States.