Spain: Right-winger on trial for murder
01 May 1999
On 28 June, the judge at a preliminary hearing in the Madrid tribunal, ruled that Ricardo Guerra will be tried for murdering Aitor Zabaleta, a Real Sociedad fan. He was killed during clashes before the football match between Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad outside the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid on 9 December. Prosecutors argued that eight other youths, friends of Guerra, most of whom belong to the Atletico Madrid neo-nazi "Bastion" gang, should also be charged for the murder. It was alleged that the youths belong to an organised group which had planned the crime after an earlier match at Real Sociedad's ground in San Sebastian. The court ruled that the evidence did not suggest that there was a preconceived plan to murder Zabaleta, charged the eight youths with public order offences, and released a further six who had been detained in connection with the killing.
El Pais 29.6.99