DATE=7/19/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=BASQUE TERRORISTS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-264597
BYLINE=GIL CARBAJAL
DATELINE=MADRID
CONTENT=
INTRO: In Madrid, Spain Wednesday night, thousands of
people took to the streets to protest the pro-
independence Basque National Party for its silence to
the new wave of terrorist attacks against anti-
independence politicians. Gil Carbajal reports from
Madrid that the Basque pro-independence group ETA is
targetting politicians from both Spain's ruling
Popular Party and the main opposition Socialist party
because both are opposed to Basque independence.
TEXT: The Basque separatist group ETA is blamed for
two more attacks on Wednesday in its campaign to
establish an independent state in northern Spain and
southern France.
The first bomb exploded early in the morning outside a
shopping mall in the Basque regional capital of
Vitoria in northern Spain, but there were no injuries.
Police said there was extensive damage to the building
and a nearby bank office.
Hours later, in the southern city of Malaga on Spain's
famed Costa del Sol, a bomb was found attached to the
bottom of a local politician's car.
The target was Jose Asenjo, the 51-year old provincial
secretary for the main opposition Socialist party. He
was in his car with his wife and 15-year old daughter
on the way to run an errand. When he turned on the
ignition he heard a sound like a firecracker and
smelled smoke. Peering under the car he saw the bomb
which had failed to ignite. Both the Popular and
Socialist Parties flatly oppose holding a referendum
on Basque independence as is advocated by ETA.
These were the 5th and 6th terrorist attacks in the past
week in what analysts say is a show of force by ETA to
prove it can carry out attacks in various parts of
Spain.
Just last Saturday a Malaga city councilman was shot
to death in front of his wife and daughter as they
were on their way to dinner. He was a member of the
Popular Party which currently rules the country under
Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar.
Both the Popular and Socialist parties flatly oppose
holindg a referendum on Basque independence as is
advocated by ETA.
The current wave of terrorist attacks began a week ago
with a carbomb which exploded in the center of
Madrid's commercial center. It was followed by the
murder of the city councilman in Malaga, a carbomb
outside a civil guards barracks in the north central
town of Agreda and Wednesday's two attacks. (Signed)
NEB/GC/PLM
19-Jul-2000 23:37 PM EDT (20-Jul-2000 0337 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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