Spain's cabinet has decided to refer a US extradition request for American activist James "Fergie" Chambers to the country's courts rather than rejecting it outright, allowing a legal process that could take months to unfold. Chambers, a wealthy heir to the Cox Communications fortune who has donated to pro-Palestinian causes, has been held in Madrid since his arrest in Ibiza on 10 July; the US alleges he laundered $7.5 million to support Hamas, charges his legal team — led by prominent international human rights lawyer Baltasar Garzón — describe as politically motivated. The case is complicated by Chambers having filed for asylum in Spain, which under Spanish law bars extradition until that process is completed, while critics including members of the governing coalition warn the decision sets a dangerous precedent for European states facing pressure from Washington over solidarity with Palestinians.