DATE=5/28/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232936
TITLE=SPAIN / ETA (L ONLY)
BYLINE=GIL CARBAJAL
DATELINE=MADRID
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: POLICE IN SPAIN HAVE ARRESTED NINE PEOPLE AFTER RAIDS IN
WHICH THEY SEIZED TONS OF FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS LINKED TO THE
VIOLENT BASQUE SEPARATIST GROUP, ETA. GIL CARBAJAL IN MADRID
REPORTS SPANISH SECURITY OFFICIALS SAY THE DOCUMENTS REVEAL A TIE
BETWEEN ETA AND A NETWORK OF LEGAL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS.
TEXT: MORE THAN 200 POLICE OFFICERS WERE INVOLVED IN THE RAIDS
AT 11 HOMES AND 10 BUSINESSES IN THE BASQUE CITY OF BILBAO IN
NORTHERN SPAIN. THE OPERATION BEGAN AT MIDNIGHT AND LASTED
THROUGH DAWN THURSDAY.
AUTHORITIES SAY FOUR OF THE NINE PEOPLE ARRESTED WERE LINKED TO A
PRO-ETA GROUP OF ORGANIZATIONS KNOWN AS KAS. POLICE SAY THAT
UNTIL NOW, THEY HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH A DIRECT LINK
BETWEEN KAS AND ETA.
OFFICIALS SAY THEIR PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE DOCUMENTS INDICATES
THAT THE RAIDED FIRMS WERE PART OF ETA'S FINANCIAL NETWORK.
AUTHORITIES SAY THAT IN ADDITION TO EARNING MONEY FOR ETA, THE
COMPANIES HELPED LAUNDER MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE RANSOM OF
KIDNAP VICTIMS AND FROM SO-CALLED "REVOLUTIONARY TAXES" EXTORTED
FROM COMPANIES IN THE BASQUE REGION..
AUTHORITIES ALSO SAY SOME OF THE COMPANIES LINKED TO ETA HAVE
BRANCHES IN LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES WHERE FUGITIVE ETA AGENTS
WERE PROVIDED JOBS AFTER COMPLETING TERRORIST OPERATIONS IN
SPAIN. ONE COMPANY, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN FISH PRODUCTS, HAS
OFFICES IN CUBA, PANAMA, AND VENEZUELA.
SPAIN'S INTERIOR MINISTER, JAIME MAYOR OREJA, WARMLY PRAISED THE
OPERATION, SAYING IT STRUCK AT THE HEART OF ETA. (SIGNED)
NEB/GC/JWH/JO
28-May-98 1:04 PM EDT (1704 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
