ETA claims responsibility for two bombings in Spain

2 January 2008

MADRID – The armed Basque separatist group ETA on Wednesday claimed responsibility for two recent bomb attacks in Spain’s Basque region.

The attacks targeted a Socialist party office in Balmaseda and a court building in Sestao in December. They caused considerable material damage, but no injuries.

In a statement sent to the Basque newspaper Gara, ETA claimed responsibility for the bombings, accusing Spain of trying to destroy the Basque independence movement.

ETA called off its 14-month ceasefire in June, accusing the government of a lack of political will during an attempt at peace talks which collapsed in December.

The government scrapped the talks when ETA violated the ceasefire, killing two Ecuadorians in a car bombing at Madrid airport.

The group has since then killed two Spanish police officers, who were shot dead while participating in an investigation on the presence of ETA in southern France.

Subject: Spanish news