Catalan police chief in Madrid court in ‘sedition’ probe

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AFP

The Catalan chief of police, Josep Lluis Trapero, is appearing before a judge in Madrid on suspicion of sedition against the state.

His Mossos d’Esquadra force is accused of failing to protect Spanish national police from protesters ahead of the 1 October independence referendum.

Another Catalan police officer and two leading independence activists are also being questioned as suspects.

The Catalan vote last Sunday was declared illegal under Spanish law.

The hearing is taking place at the national criminal court in Madrid. The defendants are accused of failing to help Guardia Civil police tackle thousands of pro-independence protesters outside the Catalan Economy Department in Barcelona on 20 September.

Leading newspaper El Pais says the accusation against the Mossos is extraordinary in post-Franco democratic Spain.

The crime of sedition has been in every Spanish penal code since 1822 and carries a potential prison term of up to 15 years. It amounts to rebellion against state decisions or national security forces.

As recently as August the Mossos was being widely praised for quickly tackling the Islamist cell that carried out the Barcelona terror attack in that month.

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EPA

The Catalan regional government says it might unilaterally declare independence within days.

Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will chair a cabinet meeting to discuss the next moves in the confrontation with Catalonia.

Organisers of Sunday’s vote put the turnout at 42%, with 2.2 million people taking part. They say 90% voted for independence, but have not published final results. There have been several claims of irregularities.

There was violence at polling stations as police, trying to enforce a Spanish court ban on the vote, attempted to seize ballot boxes and disperse voters.

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More on the Catalan crisis

• Carles Puigdemont: The man who wants to break up Spain
• Catalonia media reflects polarised Spanish society
• Divided loyalties: The couples at odds over independence
• Analysis: Biggest crisis for a generation
• Could Catalonia make a success of independence?

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Besides the Mossos commanders, the Madrid judge was questioning Catalan parliament president Jordi Sanchez and Omnium Cultural head Jordi Cuixart. Both are pro-independence campaigners.

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Reuters/AFP

The Spanish government refuses to hold negotiations on Catalonia’s independence bid. The Catalan leaders say they want international mediation and have repeatedly urged the EU to get involved.

Spain’s Constitutional Court has suspended Monday’s session of the Catalan parliament, hoping to pre-empt a possible declaration of independence.

Catalonia is Spain’s richest region and accounts for 19% of Spain’s GDP.

On Thursday, Sabadell, a major bank, decided to transfer its legally registered base from Barcelona to the south-eastern Spanish city of Alicante. Its HQ and workforce will remain in Barcelona.

CaixaBank, another large Barcelona-based institution, is reported to be considering a similar move. This would ensure the banks remained within the eurozone and under the supervision of the European Central Bank, even if Catalonia broke away from Spain.

• 16% of Spain’s population live in Catalonia, and it produces:

• 25.6% of Spain’s exports

• 19% of Spain’s GDP

• 20.7% of foreign investment

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Shooter set sights on top Boston venues

The chilling news that mass killer Stephen Paddock scoped out Boston sites — including Fenway Park — before he carried out his rampage in Las Vegas has alarmed lawmakers who are now calling for high-rise safety measures to be beefed up.

Paddock Googled “sites around Fenway Park” and the Boston Center for the Arts in the South End, police said. It was not clear when the shooter surfed the web about the city.

Fenway Park recently hosted several major concerts, including Lady Gaga last month and Billy Joel in August. The Red Sox are also due back Sunday afternoon for a playoff game against the Houston Astros.

Police Commissioner William B. Evans said officers are planning to huddle with Fenway-area hotels “about stepped-up security they can take” in the wake of the discovery.

“It’s sad that we have to do this,” Evans said last night, though he stressed that the FBI and local authorities have been in regular contact. “There’s no problem with communication.”

State and city officials stressed throughout yesterday that there’s no indication Boston is currently a target.

“There’s no evidence of an imminent threat that has anything to do with Massachusetts,” Gov. Charlie Baker told reporters. “We believe we and many others are fully plugged in on their investigation.”

Boston’s link to Paddock isn’t the only one authorities say they’re investigating. The 64-year-old retired real estate investor and professional gambler had booked rooms with views of the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago in August and the Life Is Beautiful show near the Vegas Strip in late September.

A federal official told The Associated Press investigators are looking into the possibility he had planned additional attacks, including a car bombing.

State Rep. Byron Rushing, whose district includes Fenway, said authorities should inform the public how they plan to protect the city from a similar attack.

“I would hope we get, very quickly, information from our public safety professionals about what changes they would be asking for … and what public policy decisions have to be made,” said Rushing, the House’s assistant majority leader.

“Once you analyze (the new information), what do you then advise people to do? Should you have big outdoor events in and around hotels, tall buildings? Should you say there are better places to be?” Rushing added. “I’d be shocked if we didn’t hear from them soon.”

State Sen. William Brownsberger, whose district also includes Fenway, said he’s confident police will address potential safety issues.

“Certainly this methodology of mass murder may not be one that people have really thought through about how to protect themselves against,” he said. “I think people would want to give a little consideration of the exposures as they exist in the commonwealth.”

The Red Sox said yesterday they were working with state and local authorities to elevate security.

Local FBI agents had briefed Evans Wednesday night about Paddock’s online hunting.

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh said he has “full faith” in the police department and called the Las Vegas massacre, which claimed 59 lives, including Paddock, an act of terrorism.

“It’s terrorism. It seems to be homegrown, he seems to be American,” Walsh said. “There’s really no rhyme or reason — we don’t know yet. We have to be prepared.”

The absence of a clear motive remains one of the case’s more frustrating mysteries. Paddock was not on the radar of federal or local authorities before Sunday night’s attack and his social media presence appeared to be scant at best, said U.S. Rep. William Keating, who sits on the House Homeland Security Committee.

“The motives are important,” the Cape Cod Democrat said. “People acting alone present the greatest problem.”

Dan Atkinson and Herald wire services contributed to this report.

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