Ecuador protests release of Spanish attacker

Oct 26, 2007, 15:00 GMT

Salamanca, Spain - Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa criticized Friday the decision by a Spanish judge not to order preventative prison for a young Spaniard who attacked an Ecuadorian girl for allegedly racist reasons.

Ecuador respected the Spanish judiciary, but did not agree with the judge who had left a 'dangerous' individual at large, Espinosa said during a visit to Salamanca north-west of Madrid.

A Barcelona judge Thursday maintained his earlier decision not to jail Sergi Martin, 21. The judge did, however, tighten Martin's bail conditions, ordering him to report to police twice a day.

Martin's attack on a 16-year-old Ecuadorian girl has sparked an international scandal and protests from several Latin American governments.

Martin attacked the girl without any apparent reason on a Barcelona train on October 7, kicking and hitting her. The girl said he shouted racist insults.

Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega said Friday that the government disagreed with the judge's decision to leave Martin at large. Prosecutors pledged to seek his imprisonment.