Briton in ‘torturers’ claim over Rock row
arrested

The man, who lives in Spain, was held yesterday morning after pictures and comments describing law enforcement staff at the frontier in La Linea as “torturers and killers” were posted on a website and shared via social media, the country’s Guardia Civil said.

It comes amid heightened tensions at the border between the British Overseas Territory and Spain.

The Guardia Civil has reported officers being pelted with stones by motorcyclists held up in hours of delays at the border after stringent checks were introduced during the diplomatic row with Britain and Gibraltar.

The Briton, who has only been identified by the initials EE, was arrested by Guardia Civil officers from Algeciras, near Gibraltar, at a municipal centre in the capital.

He is being held in custody while items found in a rucksack are analysed, a spokesman said.

“The investigation began when agents discovered a web page in which photographs of officers of the Guardia Civil, national police, and the customs agency were published,” he said.

“In this publication they were called ‘torturers and killers’ and citizens were encouraged to carry out demonstrations against the agents at their homes.

“In addition, these comments were reiterated via different social networks and digital media.

“Investigators located the IP address of the computer from where the detained person made the commentaries, situating it at a location in Madrid.

“Establishing the chance to detain this person, he was held in a Madrid municipal social centre, with a rucksack seized – containing information that is being analysed.”

The Foreign Office said it was aware of the arrest of a British national.

“We are providing consular assistance,” a spokesman said.

Foreign ministers from the UK and Spain have said there is no imminent prospect of talks on the sovereignty of Gibraltar.

Foreign Secretary William Hague told the House of Commons earlier this week the UK government would “never negotiate over sovereignty” over the heads of the people of the Rock.

He said Gibraltar wanted to remain British, but added that the UK still wanted to hold talks to settle the latest border dispute with Spain.

His Spanish counterpart responded that “now is not the time” to discuss sovereignty.

Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, addressing the Spanish MPs, said that “friendship” should prevail between Spain and the UK.

Speaking in the Commons earlier, Mr Hague said: “Gibraltar is British and wants to stay British and for us that is the end of the matter and we will never negotiate over sovereignty over the people of Gibraltar’s heads as the last Labour government did.”

He was responding to a question from Conservative MP Jake Berry, who had asked him to affirm that he would “never give an inch” on sovereignty.

The territory has been ruled by Britain since 1713 but Spain disputes UK sovereignty.

Mr Garcia-Margallo was addressing Spanish MPs. Separately, Spanish Foreign Minister Mr Garcia-Margallo said that “now is 
not the time to talk about sovereignty” a discussion that, come the appropriate time, would require “confidential conversations”, not “with lights and stenographers”.