Spain clears procedural step in US extradition case for Chambers

Spain’s Council of Ministers has authorized the U.S. extradition request for James “Fergie” Chambers, allowing the case to move to the National Court while stressing that the decision is procedural and does not guarantee his eventual surrender. Chambers, a 41-year-old heir to the Cox family fortune and donor to humanitarian projects in Gaza, was arrested in Ibiza on July 10 and remains jailed near Madrid while seeking asylum. U.S. prosecutors accuse him of money laundering, rioting and conspiracy to riot, including allegedly transferring more than $7.5 million to a Tunisian football organization and supporting protests at an Israeli arms manufacturer; some reports also characterize the case as involving alleged support for Hamas. Chambers denies wrongdoing, and his lawyers say the funds supported humanitarian work and that the prosecution is politically motivated. The case has divided Spain’s governing coalition, with left-wing parties and supporters warning that extradition could criminalize aid to Palestinians, while the government has allowed the judicial process to continue.