Court orders 24-hour watch on Alluni

Aljazeera has learned that a Spanish judge has ordered its correspondent Taysir Alluni released from jail and placed under mandatory house arrest pending his trial.

The release order was expected to be carried out late on Monday night or early on Tuesday, but has been set back after a series of delays.

Munzir al-Nimri, general-secretary of the International Committee for Defending Taysir Alluni, said Alluni had still not been released from prison due to procedural reasons and the need to complete more paperwork.

“The procedures involve accompanying Alluni, with his hands chained, by Spanish security guards and include signing an order that has not been signed yet. We are still awaiting completion of these procedures,” al-Nimri said.

Alluni will then be taken to his home in Granada where he was first arrested in September 2003.

Al-Jazeera, 15 March 2005