Nóos judge: Princess Cristina leaked footage “unspeakable”

Princess Cristina testified in court on Saturday as part of the Nóos inquiry in what was designed to be a discreet closed-doors session: her testimony would be recorded but not videoed and all cellphones, laptops, tablets and other recording devices left with the police at the entrance at the courthouse.

However, El Mundo on Sunday published an image of the king’s daughter during her six-hour appearance taken from a video posted on the internet. The chief judge in Palma de Mallorca, Francisco González, expressed his “indignation” at the breach of protocol and opened an investigation to find the source of the leaked footage. “Either they didn’t go through the metal detectors or [the device] was a ridiculous size,” he said.

The judge handling the investigation, José Castro, on Monday called the leak “unspeakable” and said he had “an idea of who might have been behind it,” but that he could not reveal anything further at this stage.

The chief focus of the investigation, Iñaki Urdangarin, asked the Palma de Mallorca court not to videotape his testimony last February precisely because he feared it would be leaked to the media.

The site the video was uploaded onto said the person “had no other activity” on its platform.

What follows is a transcription of the recorded segment posted online:

Judge. Before marrying, can you tell me what non-profit foundations or associations you belonged to?

Princess Cristina. I don’t remember.

J. Spokeswoman on the [Nóos] board?

C. I was honorary president.

J. And how many shareholdings did you participate in before marrying.

C. None.

J. None. If I am not mistaken you married Mr Urdangarin in October 1997. You must have been aware that in forming a business society with your husband, the money deposited in that society would be both your and his?

C. I don’t know how it works.

J. In a 50-percent owned society it seems obvious that half belongs to you and half to Mr Urdangarin. The social objective […] was the technical assessment of the organization of sporting and cultural events, public relations and technical assessments of international cooperation projects. Do you recall this being the social objective?

C. I don’t remember.

J. Can you remember what else it might have been?

C. I don’t remember anything.

J. Fine. Can you tell us to what end Namasté 97 was created?

C. I don’t remember, I don’t know.

J. On the screen is a document showing a bank account from which there were 16 transfers between December 28 and July 31 for a total of 237,898 euros. Later there is another transfer to your husband as an individual for 159,623 euros. I will repeat various times that you have the right to refuse to answer the questions you choose. The incomes your husband received from Mixta África, Altadis and Aceros Bergara, were these funds and other similar ones to be channeled through Aizoon? Did [Urdangarin] tell you about these new clients?

C. No.

J. You can see it on the screen?

C. Yes.

J. Here we have a message from Mr Urdangarin to Mr García Revenga [the royal secretary], in which it can be read “give a copy to Cristina for me.” There is nothing untoward in this email, but it suggests there was fluid communication with you. “As you’re online I’m sending you a Nóos communiqué that I’m thinking of sending; there are two versions, have a read and tell me what you think.” Did you receive this email?