12 Palestinians Are Dispersed for a Year of Exile in Europe
Spanish authorities say all but one of the 13 Palestinian fighters exiled from Bethlehem after the Israeli siege at the Church of the Nativity have arrived in Western Europe where, in a deal brokered by the European Union, they are to spend the next 12 months as refugees.

For security reasons, it was not revealed which men were going where; journalists in Spain were not allowed to witness their arrival.

Spanish authorities dismissed Israeli assertions that the men are dangerous. "There is no formal accusation against them, only the word of the Israeli government, which says they are very bad people and are terrorists," said a Spanish diplomatic official. "They are not facing any charges."

The official noted that because Israel had agreed to the arrangement, any attempt to pursue the exiles would be considered a violation. "The deal was made to avoid a greater conflict, and demanding their extradition would go against the accord," he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/23/international/europe/23EXIL.html