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ETA arrests

January 10, 2010

Four suspected members of the Basque separatist group ETA have been arrested in Spain and France, including two who were allegedly driving a van loaded with explosives.

https://p.dw.com/p/LPkZ
Police car
Two of the suspects were on Spain's most wanted listImage: AP

The Spanish Interior Ministry said police arrested one man and one woman who were on Spain's most-wanted list near the town of Clermont-Ferrand in central France. The other two suspects were arrested near the Portugal-Spain border.

The Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported the two suspects caught in France were arrested when they were about to enter a secret arms' cache being observed by police. In the case near the Portugal-Spain border, police stopped a vehicle which was found to be filled with explosives.

One of the two suspects pushed the officers and escaped in a police vehicle, but was later found in Portugal.

ETA, which is considered a terrorist organization by the EU, has been engaged in a four-decade battle with French and Spanish authorities for an independent Basque state. Over 820 people have been killed by its operations.

mk/dpa/AFP

Editor: Toma Tasovac

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