Revenant
04-19-2009, 10:57 AM
MADRID (Reuters) - ETA's military chief has been arrested by French police, a Spanish government source said on Saturday, marking the third suspected leader of the Basque separatist guerrillas to be captured in under six months.
Jurdan Martitegi, 28, had a pistol and was using a stolen car with false plates when he was arrested in southern France, along with two other suspected ETA members, the source said.
The French Interior Ministry confirmed France had arrested three alleged members of ETA in Montauriol, in the eastern Pyrenees region near Spain, one a leading ETA figure.
Spanish media said police captured Martitegi, his bodyguard Mikel Oroz and suspected ETA cell leader Alex Uriarte, who was also armed and driving a stolen car.
Nearly 2 meters tall, strongly built and known as "the giant," Martitegi is regarded as one of the most dangerous men in Spain and France, where his photo appears on wanted posters in airports and train stations.
He had been on the run since July when Spanish police broke up ETA's main attack unit, known as the "Vizcaya cell," which was blamed for a string of bombings on police stations and government buildings.
His capture followed a joint operation between Spanish and French police coordinated by Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, best known for his attempt to extradite former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, the government source said.
Three other suspected ETA members, thought to be working in Uriarte's cell, were arrested in Alava, Spain, media reported.
"It's very good news for all Spaniards, it shows the police are in constant action," Garzon told reporters when asked about the operations.
ETA is blamed for the deaths of more than 800 people in its 40-year campaign of shootings and bombings to carve out an independent Basque state in northern Spain and southwestern France.
Spain's Socialist government ended discussions with ETA after it killed two people in a car bombing at Madrid's Barajas airport in 2006, effectively breaking a ceasefire.
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has since taken a hard line against the group and over 20 people have been arrested in France and Spain this year for suspected ETA membership.
Martitegi took over command of ETA in December after French police captured the previous military leader, Aitzol Iriondo, also known as Balak. He had succeeded Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina, better known as Txeroki, who was captured near the Spanish border in November.
Saturday's arrests mark a further blow for ETA after Spain's ruling Socialists won control of the Basque regional government in March, promising to heal wounds left by nationalist extremists and separatist gunmen.
The Socialists ended an unbroken string of governments by Basque nationalists since 1980 and ETA has said it will make the incoming administration a principal target.
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE53H22T20090418
Jurdan Martitegi, 28, had a pistol and was using a stolen car with false plates when he was arrested in southern France, along with two other suspected ETA members, the source said.
The French Interior Ministry confirmed France had arrested three alleged members of ETA in Montauriol, in the eastern Pyrenees region near Spain, one a leading ETA figure.
Spanish media said police captured Martitegi, his bodyguard Mikel Oroz and suspected ETA cell leader Alex Uriarte, who was also armed and driving a stolen car.
Nearly 2 meters tall, strongly built and known as "the giant," Martitegi is regarded as one of the most dangerous men in Spain and France, where his photo appears on wanted posters in airports and train stations.
He had been on the run since July when Spanish police broke up ETA's main attack unit, known as the "Vizcaya cell," which was blamed for a string of bombings on police stations and government buildings.
His capture followed a joint operation between Spanish and French police coordinated by Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, best known for his attempt to extradite former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, the government source said.
Three other suspected ETA members, thought to be working in Uriarte's cell, were arrested in Alava, Spain, media reported.
"It's very good news for all Spaniards, it shows the police are in constant action," Garzon told reporters when asked about the operations.
ETA is blamed for the deaths of more than 800 people in its 40-year campaign of shootings and bombings to carve out an independent Basque state in northern Spain and southwestern France.
Spain's Socialist government ended discussions with ETA after it killed two people in a car bombing at Madrid's Barajas airport in 2006, effectively breaking a ceasefire.
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has since taken a hard line against the group and over 20 people have been arrested in France and Spain this year for suspected ETA membership.
Martitegi took over command of ETA in December after French police captured the previous military leader, Aitzol Iriondo, also known as Balak. He had succeeded Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina, better known as Txeroki, who was captured near the Spanish border in November.
Saturday's arrests mark a further blow for ETA after Spain's ruling Socialists won control of the Basque regional government in March, promising to heal wounds left by nationalist extremists and separatist gunmen.
The Socialists ended an unbroken string of governments by Basque nationalists since 1980 and ETA has said it will make the incoming administration a principal target.
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE53H22T20090418