The Spanish government on Tuesday authorised the first step of the extradition process of a US citizen currently imprisoned in Madrid and wanted by Washington for allegedly financing Hamas.
The US government accuses James Cox Chambers Jr, 41, of money laundering, rioting and conspiracy to riot over his participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations in 2023 and transferring of funds to a company in Tunisia, where he previously lived.
The case has attracted international attention due to the Atlanta-based Cox family fortune and the political activism of Mr Chambers, widely known as Fergie Chambers.
It is the first time the US government has sought extradition for allegedly supporting Hamas. Mr Chambers denies the US accusations and his defence team says the money transfers were donations to fund humanitarian projects, including in Gaza.
In its meeting, the Spanish Council of Ministers voted to allow the case to proceed to court, according to people familiar with the matter who cannot be named as the decision is not public, Bloomberg reported.
The procedure requires further steps at the Spanish National Court. It will be up to the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, to make the final decision. It would be rare for the Cabinet to reject a court-backed extradition to the US.
Left-wing support
Mr Chambers was arrested on July 10 while driving in Ibiza, Spain. Left-wing political party Podemos has led a support movement in his favour, arguing that the case was a test of whether European governments would cave to US pressure.
Mr Sanchez's socialist party has supported processing the request, while junior coalition partner Sumar has called for it to be rejected. Support protests demanding Mr Chambers's release have also taken place in Madrid, Barcelona and Seville.
The Cox family cemented its presence in the US state of Georgia in 1939 when James Middleton Cox – the 1920 Democratic nominee for US president – bought the Atlanta Journal newspaper to add to what would become a vast array of media, telecoms and automotive businesses. Institutions across Atlanta bear the family name, including spaces at Emory University and the Atlanta History Centre.
But Fergie Chambers’s public opinions are often at odds with those of his family. He is known for his activism, including speaking in favour of Hamas after the October 7 attacks of 2023, questioning Israel’s right to exist and criticising American “imperialism”. He has also been a vocal critic of police violence.
His lawyers say there is no evidence of wrongdoing in his money transfers and donations, and that his wealth is sufficiently documented. They argue that the US is seeking a five-year prison sentence for conduct that drew 60-day sentences for other participants in pro-Palestinian protests.
If Spain ultimately rejects the extradition, it risks further fuelling already tense political relations with the US. Spain has been highly critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza, had recognised the state of Palestine and opposed US attacks on Iran.
