‘Civic rebellion’ against peace talks with ETA

2 October 2006

SEVILLE — The biggest group of terrorism victims called for a ‘civic rebellion’ against government plans to open talks with ETA.

The president of the Association of Victims of Terrorism, or AVT, Francisco Jose Alcaraz made the announcement at the close of a demonstration convened by AVT members in Seville.

Police said on Monday 40,000 people attended the march.

Also participating in the protest was a broad delegation from the conservative opposition Popular Party, headed by PP leader Angel Acebes.

Another demonstration is planned at a debate about the Basque peace process at the European Parliament.

Alcaraz said that the Spanish debate on the peace process shows “the political price that the government has already paid to ETA,” given that one of the aims of the terrorist group is to “internationalize the mis-named Basque conflict”.

More than 800 people have been killed since 1968 in violence perpetrated by ETA in its attempt to carve out an independent socialist state from portions of northern Spain and southwestern France.

The AVT chief, along with other speakers, focused his criticism on Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and his administration, whom he called “malicious and cowardly” and accused of surrendering “to the desires of a terrorist band”.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news