DATE=1/21/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SPAIN / CAR BOMB (L UPDATE)
NUMBER=2-258298
BYLINE=GIL CARBAJAL
DATELINE=MADRID
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Two car bombs exploded early Friday in Madrid,
killing a Spanish army officer. Gil Carbajal in
Madrid reports Spain had been bracing for a terrorist
attack since the Basque separatist group ETA called
off a 14-month cease-fire in early December.
TEXT: The car bomb exploded soon after eight o'clock
Friday morning, killing army Colonel Pedro Antonio
Blanco Gonzalez. /// OPT /// The officer was the
father of two small ch1ldren, one of whom learned of
his father's death from a television report. /// END
OPT ///
Police say the bomb was set off by remote control as
the army officer walked to meet another army officer
for a ride to work.
Another car bomb exploded 30 minutes later in the same
neighborhood, which has a large number of military
families. The second bomb exploded near a nursery
school, causing panic among some 50 children.
A number of cars were destroyed by the explosions, and
about 30 buildings were badly damaged.
/// OPT ///
Spanish authorities say the car used in the first
bombing had been stolen almost three weeks ago,
leading anti-terrorist experts to believe that ETA
continues to maintain an organization in Madrid. The
car involved in the second bombing had been stolen in
November, two weeks before ETA ended its truce.
Since then, Spanish police have uncovered at least two
major attempts to commit terrorist attacks. In
December they intercepted two vans loaded with nearly
two tons of explosives headed for Madrid. In early
January they foiled another attack apparently aimed at
a civil guard convoy near the Basque city of Bilbao.
/// END OPT ///
The pro-independence Basque National Party, or P-N-V,
which governs in the autonomous Basque region in
northern Spain, reacted by suspending cooperation with
ETA's political wing until it condemns the terrorist
attack. /// OPT /// The P-N-V has been governing with
the radical coalition's support since regional
elections last year. /// END OPT ///
The Basque chief minister, Juan Jose Ibarretxe, called
on Basque citizens to demonstrate outside all town
halls in the three Basque provinces to call on ETA to
cease its violence.
The Secretary-General of the P-N-V (Javier Arzallus)
had earlier warned ETA that if it killed another
person, it would seriously set back the goal of Basque
independence and assure victory in the March 12th
general election to Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's
ruling Popular Party.
The leader of ETA's political wing (Arnaldo Otegi)
expressed sorrow at the death of the army officer.
But he stopped short of condemning the bombings. He
said all political parties share responsibility for
not having taken the political measures needed to
prevent such attacks.
The Spanish government spokesman called on all
democratic parties to work together in the face of
terrorism, and said ETA is mistaken to think it could
attain its goals through violence. (Signed)
NEB/GC/JWH/JO
21-Jan-2000 13:50 PM EDT (21-Jan-2000 1850 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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