DATE=8/29/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SPAIN / ATTACK (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-265950
BYLINE=GIL CARBAJAL
DATELINE=MADRID
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The latest victim in a wave of terrorist
violence in northern Spain was a councilman for the
country's ruling Popular Party in a small town in the
Basque Country. There was no immediate claim of
responsibility, although police blamed the attack on
the separatist group, ETA. Gil Carbajal reports from
Madrid.
TEXT: Gunmen shot a 29-year-old councilman (early
Tuesday) in the Basque town of Zumarraga near San
Sebastian in northern Spain.
Manuel Indiano Azaustre was killed as he was opening
the candy shop he set up just two-months ago. He died
soon afterwards in the hospital with 14-bullet wounds.
The councilman was 29-years-old and held one of two
seats won by Spain's ruling Popular Party - the P-P -
in the last municipal elections.
Although he ran as an independent, Manuel Indiano was
sixth on the party's list and took a seat on the town
council after those ahead of him had turned it down.
In early April, he gave up the police escort assigned
to Popular Party politicians because he found the
protection inconvenient.
Manuel Indiano is the 12th victim of a bloody terrorist
campaign since ETA called off a 14-month long truce.
Businessmen, security agents, and politicians of the
Popular Party and opposition Socialist party have been
the targets of the terrorist campaign. In the past
month-and-one-half, seven people have been killed in
various parts of Spain. Carbombs set off in Madrid
and in the Basque Country have injured scores of
people.
Meanwhile, pro-ETA gangs have continued almost daily
acts of vandalism against banks, business and the
property of Popular Party and Socialist politicians.
ETA has been linked to hundreds of deaths since the
late 1960s when it began a violent campaign for an
independent Basque state.
The latest killing increases the pressure on the
moderate Basque Nationalist Party - or P-N-V - to
break with ETA's political wing, Euskal Herritarrok.
Leaders from both the Popular Party and the main
opposition Socialist Party once again called for that
break. And the Spanish government continues to refuse
to include the P-N-V in multi-party talks to deal with
terrorism until it breaks completly with ETA's
political wing.
Spanish Prime Minister Jose' Maria Aznar learned of the
latest killing in Gdansk, Poland where he was
participating in ceremonies commemorating the 20th
anniversary of the foundnation of labor movement,
Solidarity.
Standing next to Nobel Peace Prize winner, Lech
Walensa, Mr. Aznar said that at a moment in which he
was helping celebrate a victory against tyranny, he
was sad to say that in Spain there were people still
being killed for believing in freedom, respect for
human rights and democracy. Prime Minister Aznar said
that Manuel Indiano's only crime was to belive in
those values. (SIGNED)
NEB/GC/GE/RAE
29-Aug-2000 13:13 PM EDT (29-Aug-2000 1713 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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