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Lawyers Protest U.S. Seizure of Extradition Suspect’s Phone

By Drooid · Oct 25, 2026, 3:03 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. authorities seized James “Fergie” Chambers’s cellphone in Spain after his July arrest without notifying his lawyers.
Lawyers say the phone left Madrid court custody and was handed to the FBI, breaching guarantees.
Chambers, a U.S. citizen and wealthy donor, remains imprisoned in Madrid while seeking political asylum that blocks extradition.
The extradition request is the first U.S. attempt to extradite a citizen over alleged Hamas support.

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Story summary

U.S. authorities seized James “Fergie” Chambers’s cellphone in Spain after his July arrest without notifying his lawyers.
Lawyers say the phone left Madrid court custody and was handed to the FBI, breaching guarantees.
Chambers, a U.S. citizen and wealthy donor, remains imprisoned in Madrid while seeking political asylum that blocks extradition.
The extradition request is the first U.S. attempt to extradite a citizen over alleged Hamas support.