Spanish refuse to turn over computers to Ullrich investigators

By Susan Westemeyer

Spanish authorities have refused to turn over five computer hard drives to German investigators in the Jan Ullrich case, the German news magazine FOCUS has reported.

The hard drives were taken into custody during the Operación Puerto. A spokeswoman for investigating judge Antonio Serrano said, "There will be no hard drives for the German investigators." The laptops which were taken in Puerto were not a part of the Spanish investigation, which has now been closed, and therefore Serrano "cannot authorize their use in further investigations."

The German investigators want to see the hard drives because they believe that they contain information on doping products supplied to Ullrich by Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes. "We have a legal assistance agreement with Spain. Until that is finished, we will not have any comment," said prosecuting attorney Fred Apostel of Bonn, Germany, who is leading the Ullrich investigation.