Madrid
Seven bombs across Spain injure five in reminder of Basque separatists
12-06-2004, 18h03
Jose Lius Roca - (AFP)

MADRID (AFP) - Multiple bombs exploded across Spain injuring five people in attacks claimed by the Basque separatist group ETA, days after another series of blasts in Madrid in a reminder that the militant group is still a thorn in the side of authorities.

The seven blasts, on the holiday celebrating the 1978 return of democracy in Spain, occurred after anonymous callers rang up a Basque newspaper warning of the impending explosions.

The interior ministry said three people, among them two police officers were injured in the central town of Ciudad Real and two more in northern Santillana del Mar. Other blasts hit Leon, Valladolid and Avila in the north, as well as the southern cities of Alicante and Malaga soon after 1:30 pm (1230 GMT).

Authorities evacuated Valladolid's central Plaza Mayor square, which was full of tourists Monday, a holiday commemorating the anniversary of the adoption of Spain's constitution by the people. A small bomb went off in a cafeteria there that was closed.

In Santillana del Mar, a bomb went off in a zoo's parking lot. In all, four cafeterias were hit by the blasts, according to the interior ministry.

The attacks were immediately condemned by mainstream politicians as well as a leftist regional Basque party, which demanded that ETA's outlawed political wing Batasuna come out against the bombings.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero called on the group to hand over its arms.

"ETA knows that it doesn't have a choice: stop the violence and hand in its weapons. I hope that will happen as soon as possible," he said in a statement.

Furthermore, the organization was well aware "that the rule of law and democracy has been and will remain stronger than any attempt to change the rules by force."

Mariano Rajoy of the opposition conservative Popular Party (PP) reiterated that he stood at the Socialist government's side in its bid to neutralize ETA. He dismissed the group, which officials say they have severely undermined with dozens of arrests in recent months, as merely going through "convulsions."

Condemnation also came from the Basque party Ezker Batua-Berdeak, which appealed to Batasuna to condemn the attacks, which it failed to do last week after several blasts hit Madrid.

If not, it would be clear that Batasuna was a "hostage" to ETA, unable to choose the political and democratic path to a solution.

Basque news agency Vasco Press cited internal ETA documents in which the militants had last year decided to strike on "days when the oppressors of our people organize" commemorations, such as the Spanish national holiday on October, or the anniversary of the constitution.

The blasts take to 13 the number of bombs planted by Euzkadi Ta Askatasuna (Basque Fatherland and Liberty), the organization which has for nearly four decades used bombs, assassinations and extortion -- killing more than 800 people -- in its bid for Basque independence, since Friday.

Police defused a device on Sunday in the southern town of Almeria which reportedly carried ETA's insignia on it.

At the outset of the five-day holiday weekend, five bombs went off in gas stations around Madrid following a similar warning reportedly by ETA, causing no casualties but massive traffic jams. The warning was also telephoned to Gara newspaper, the usual vehicle for claims by ETA militants.

The last time ETA killed anyone was in May 2003, when two police officers were assassinated.
AFP
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