ETA bases explosive in central Portugal? by Zivka Deleva

Following the events that happened in the beginning of January when the Portuguese police arrested Garikoitz Garcia and Iratxe Yanez, two alleged members of ETA because they were driving a van loaded with explosives towards a Spanish police barracks just over the border, even more recent developments occur. After receiving a tip from neighbors about hearing two Spanish-speaking tenants the Portuguese police has searched the apartment and discovered 500 kilos of explosives and bomb-making equipment. The location of the house is in the central town of Obidos, Portugal, only around 100 km north from the capital Lisbon. Initial reports suggest that the apartment was previously ! used by members of the separatist group ETA. Spain authorities claim that the house was being used by members of ETA, the Basque separatist movement, but Portugal has not confirmed this. Spanish authorities also claim that 1500 kilograms of explosives were found as well as computers, containers used by ETA for making car bombs and maps of the Spanish cities of Madrid, Cadiz and San Fernando. The discrepancy between the two claims, the one from the Portuguese and the one from the Spanish authorities is not to be explained. Ever since the first incident, police on both sides of the border have been working on the assumption that the terrorist organization had established some kind of infrastructure in Portugal, because of the increased police pressure in France. Spanish interior minister Alfred Perez Rubalcaba has voiced fears that Portugal may become a base for the terrorist group to plan future attacks, since it is “getting more and more difficult for them in Fra! nce”. ETA, who seeks independence for the Basque region ! of North ern Spain and Southern France, has been blamed for 828 deaths over the last 41 years.

by Zivka Deleva for SigEx Ventures (http://sigexventures.com)

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