US sanctions leader of Basque separatists ETA

The US State Department said Thursday it had designated Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) military leader Jurdan Martitegui Lizaso as a terrorist.

As a result, “all property subject to US jurisdiction in which (Martitegui) has any interest is blocked and US persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him,” the State Department said.

“This action will help stem the flow of financial and other assistance to this ETA leader,” he said.

Martitegui engaged in terrorist activities with the ETA “such as murder, bombing, recruiting, training, and providing logistical support for a terrorist organization,” actions which “constitute a threat to US interests,” the statement read.

Martitegui was a member of ETA’s Vizcaya Command, a group “responsible for numerous terrorist acts including the 2006 bombing of Madrid’s Barajas international airport parking garage.”

Washington designated ETA a terrorist organization in 1997.

Weakened after years of arrests of its senior leaders, ETA has not committed an attack on Spanish territory since August 2009.

Martitegui has been jailed in France since 2009.