Beaches cleared after bomb threat

11 August 2004

MADRID – Some 2,000 people had to be cleared from beaches at Sant Carles de la Rápita south of Barcelona on Wednesday because of two bomb alerts.

Five beaches were evacuated, according to town hall spokesman Josep Pitarc who called on townsfolk and tourists to remain calm.

With the two warning calls taken on Wednesday, authorities had now received four since Sunday, he added.

According to Pitarc, the 112 emergency services number had been told that explosive devices had been hidden in the first instance at the port and the second in the central Carles III square.

Apart from clearing the main beaches, the Guardia Civil had blocked access to other smaller beaches in the area, he added.

By mid-afternoon a bomb disposal team was called in to start searching for the alleged explosives.

Last week the Ministry of Interior named six members of ETA who they claimed could be planning bomb attacks on the Mediterranean coast.

Two small bombs, attributed to Basque terrorist group ETA, exploded on Spain’s north coast at the weekend.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news