Arnaldo Otegi found not guilty of glorifying ETA

The Spanish National Audience on Friday found ex-Batasuna head, Arnaldo Otegi, not guilty of the charge of glorifying terrorism during an event designed to pay homage to Basque prisoner José María Sagardui, Gatza, in July 2005, in the Biscayan town of Amorebieta.

The court ruled that press cuttings used as evidence by the Prosecution were not sufficient proof that Otegi was glorifying ETA as the dates on them did not coincidence with recordings of the July 2005 event.

Otegi was previously judged and sentenced in 2010, but Spain''s Supreme Court declared void the ruling in February this year, claiming that the Judge presiding over the original trial, Angela Murillo, was noticeably bias.

In an unprecedented rebuke, the ruling claimed that presiding judge Angela Murillo made clear her "prejudice regarding the guilt" of the former Batasuna spokesman through the manner of her questioning over whether or not Otegi would denounce ETA.