Pedraz names three PSOE officials as suspects in 'secret services' operation
The National Court has widened its investigation into alleged internal spying by the Socialist Party, summoning the party's current manager and two former senior figures to testify.
Pedraz names three PSOE officials as suspects in 'secret services' operation
The judicial investigation into the alleged surveillance system set up from within PSOE structures has taken a new step. The judge heading Central Examining Court number 1, Santiago Pedraz, has decided to elevate three people linked to the party to the status of suspects: current manager Ana Fuentes and two veteran leaders, Santos Cerdán and Gaspar Zarrías. They are alleged to have been possibly involved in the disbursement of funds to obtain compromising information about members of the judiciary, representatives of the Public Prosecutor's Office and officers of the UCO.
The news was confirmed to newspaper ABC by people close to the investigation. Meanwhile, Civil Guard officers carried out a series of raids on Wednesday. One took place at the party's headquarters in Ferraz, Madrid, where they searched for evidence shedding light on the financing of these activities. Others affected the private homes of Cerdán, Zarrías and audiovisual sector businessman Javier Pérez Dolset.
The push to pursue the investigations came after examining documentation seized in earlier operations against Vicente Fernández and Leire Díez. One of the active lines of inquiry is examining whether public contracts managed by entities such as SEPI ended up funding the party's finances. To that end, investigators have requested that the PSOE provide certain information to cross-reference with what has already been gathered.
This is not the first time the UCO has accessed the Ferraz headquarters. In an earlier phase, officers already obtained the contents of Santos Cerdán's institutional email account. Examination of those communications served to open new avenues within the case.
Source: ABC
Source: ABC