DATE=5/6/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-231794
TITLE=SPAIN / ETA (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=GIL CARBAJAL
DATELINE=MADRID
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IN SPAIN, A CITY COUNCILMAN IN PAMPLONA WAS KILLED
WEDNESDAY BY TWO YOUNG GUNMEN AS HE WAS PREPARING TO DRIVE TO THE
TOWN HALL. GIL CARBAJAL REPORTS FROM MADRID THAT THE MURDER
FOLLOWS ARRESTS SINCE LAST WEEKEND OF SIX PRESUMED MEMBERS OF THE
BASQUE SEPARATIST GROUP "ETA," AND THE SEIZURE OF DOCUMENTS
LISTING POSSIBLE VICTIMS, INCLUDING KING JUAN CARLOS.
TEXT: AS HE WAS ACCUSTOMED TO DOING EVERY MORNING, PAMPLONA CITY
COUNCILMAN TOMAS CABALLERO LOOKED UNDER HIS AUTOMOBILE, JUST IN
CASE A BOMB HAD BEEN PLACED THERE. BUT ON WEDNESDAY MORNING,
TWO YOUNG MEN WERE LYING IN WAIT AND SHOT HIM IN THE HEAD AS HE
STARTED HIS AUTOMOBILE. MR. CABALLERO DIED JUST OVER AN HOUR
LATER IN THE HOSPITAL.
THE 63-YEAR-OLD RETIRED ELECTRICIAN WAS A TOWN COUNCIL
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION OF NAVARRAN PEOPLE -- A CONSERVATIVE
REGIONAL GROUP ALLIED TO THE "POPULAR PARTY," WHICH CONTROLS THE
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.
//OPT// MR. CABALLERO WAS THE THIRD COUNCILMAN TO BE KILLED BY
TERRORISTS THIS YEAR ALONE. HE LEFT BEHIND A WIFE, FIVE CHILDREN
AND EIGHT GRANDCHILDREN. //END OPT//
AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THE BASQUE PRO-INDEPENDENCE GROUP "ETA" IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDER. A POPULAR BUT OUTSPOKEN POLITICIAN,
MR. CABALLERO HAD SEVERAL VERBAL CLASHES WITH ETA'S POLITICAL
WING, "HERRI BATASUNA," IN WHICH HE ACCUSED OF THEM OF SUPPORTING
ETA'S CAMPAIGN TO KILL COUNCILMEN. JUST DAYS AGO, A JUDGE
DISMISSED A DEFAMATION SUIT FILED AGAINST HIM BY MEMBERS OF THE
PRO-ETA POLITICAL PARTY.
SINCE SUNDAY, CIVIL GUARDS HAVE ARRESTED SIX PRESUMED MEMBERS OF
ETA'S "DONASTI COMMANDO," BASED IN THE PROVINCE OF VIZCAYA. AS A
RESULT OF THESE ARRESTS, SPANISH SECURITY AGENTS HAVE FOUND
DOCUMENTATION DETAILING POSSIBLE FUTURE VICTIMS. BESIDES A
NUMBER OF POPULAR PARTY CITY COUNCILMAN, THE LIST INCLUDED
MEMBERS OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY AND THE UNION OF THE NAVARRAN
PEOPLE -- AND EVEN A EMINENT BASQUE SCULPTOR, THE 90-YEAR-OLD
JORGE OTEIZA. ALSO FOUND WERE PLANS TO ASSASSINATE KING JUAN
CARLOS NEXT AUGUST, WHEN AN AQUARIUM IN THE CITY OF SAN SEBASTIAN
IS DUE TO BE INAUGURATED.
//REST OPT// AS A RESULT OF ETA'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST COUNCILMAN,
ONE COUNCILWOMAN IN THE TOWN OF RENTERIA RESIGNED HER POST LAST
MONTH. THE OTHER POPULAR PARTY REPRESENTATIVE IN THE COUNCIL WAS
KILLED IN DECEMBER.
NEXT WEEKEND, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER JOSE MARIA AZNAR IS DUE TO
TRAVEL TO THE BASQUE COUNTRY TO ANNOUNCE THE POPULAR PARTY
CANDIDATES FOR THE REGIONAL ELECTIONS DUE TO TAKE PLACE IN
OCTOBER. BUT THE LATEST TERRORIST ATTACK INCREASES THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL PRESSURE ON THE MEMBERS OF HIS PARTY IN THE BASQUE
COUNTRY AND BELIES A RECENT COMMUNIQUE BY ETA, SAYING IT WAS
READY TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THE RECENT PEACE ACCORD IN
NORTHERN IRELAND. (SIGNED)
NEB/GC/PCF
06-May-98 1:17 PM EDT (1717 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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