Genuine fears for summit security as Basque terrorists step up violence

Date: 14/03/02

By David Cronin

THE city of Barcelona will be on high alert this weekend amid fears that the Basque separatist group ETA is planning a major attack as EU leaders gather for the economic summit.

The fears have been heightened by last week's bombing of the Bilbao stock exchange. Police say they have credible evidence that paramilitaries will try to disrupt at least one event linked to Spain's EU presidency and there has been speculation that the Bilbao bomb was a rehearsal operation.

ETA's full name is Euzkadi Ta Askatasuna, which means Basque fatherland and freedom.

It was founded in 1959, 22 years after troops loyal to Spain's fascist leader General Franco occupied the Basque country.

But it did not claim its first victim, secret police chief Meliton Manzanas, until 1968.

Although the Basques had enjoyed a large degree of autonomy from Madrid, Franco brutally quashed their independence ambitions.

Banning their ancient language Euskera, he also had a plethora of intellectuals and political activists rounded up, tortured and, in many cases, killed.

After Franco's death in 1975, autonomy was restored to the Basque country. But that was not enough for ETA, which vowed to fight on until full independence was achieved.

Some analysts believe it may have less than 100 full-time volunteers, but ETA commands significant support from the 2.5 million Basques.

Herri Batasuna, the party described as its political wing, has made electoral gains aided by a resurgence of interest in Euskera, the language in which 90 of Basque children are educated.

Since its inception, ETA has killed more than 800 people. It has planted bombs in holiday resorts and under the cars of politicians and has also gunned down investigative journalists.

Over the years, Herri Batasuna has developed close contacts with Sinn Féin, the political wing of the provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA).

The IRA's decision to suspend its armed struggle in the 1990s and the peace process which ensued offered hope that something similar could happen in Spain and the Basque country.

It did - but only briefly.

In September 1998 ETA announced its first ever cease-fire. Fourteen months later it called it off. It heralded the dawn of the new millennium in dramatic style, exploding car bombs in Madrid in January 2000 and killing a prominent Socialist politician in Vitoria, the Basque capital, a month later.

The hard-line Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar has been unwilling to enter into dialogue with the Basques.

During its cease-fire, only one meeting took place between ETA and the Spanish government.

The prime minister, who refused to make concessions of repatriation of Basque prisoners, has claimed the group is 'scared of peace' and has said he would only talk with it if it fully renounced violence.

ETA has cited his reluctance to talk as the principal reason for resuming violence. The group was extremely quiet in the wake of the 11 September atrocities and the EU decision to place it on a list of proscribed terrorist organisations.

But the Bilbao bomb suggests it is back with a vengeance.

The city of Barcelona will be on high alert amid fears that the Basque separatist group ETA is planning a major attack as EU leaders gather for the European Council, 15-16 March 2002.