DATE=9/16/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SPAIN - BASQUES (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-266598
BYLINE=GIL CARBAJAL
DATELINE=MADRID
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: In Spain's Basque country, security agents are
on a maximum alert after the arrest on Friday of the
separatist organization ETA's "maximum leader" in
France. Gil Carbajal reports from Madrid that tension
was especially high as the King and Queen of Spain
inaugurated a museum in the heartland of Basque
separatism.
TEXT: Less than 24 hours after the suspected leader
of the pro-independence terrorist organization ETA was
arrested in France, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia
inaugurated a museum in the Basque separatist
stronghold of Hernani, near San Sebastian. The town
council is controlled by ETA's political wing, Euskal
Herritarok, whose leaders had warned that the monarchs
would not be welcome.
Basque regional police cordoned off an area within one
kilometer of the new museum dedicated to the
sculptures of artist Eduardo Chillida to prevent
access to pro-ETA demonstrators.
Shortly before the Spanish monarchs arrived by
helicopter, security agents found eight grenades
within five-hundred yards of the museum compound.
Police said they had limited explosive potential and
were meant to go off for propaganda purposes during
the royal visit.
The high-profile museum inauguration was reinforced
when Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar arrived
with visiting German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder for
a luncheon. The chancellor came to receive a
sculpture from Mr. Chillida to grace the parliament
building in Berlin. Outside the town regional police
clashed with pro-ETA demonstrators.
Tension is especially high in the Basque country after
French police working in collaboration with Spanish
security agents arrested Ignacio Gracia Arregui,
believed to be ETA's "maximum leader" since 1992.
This followed the arrest earlier in the week of 20
suspected members of ETA's political infrastructure.
Mr. Arregui, apprehended along with his wife in the
town of Bidart, 20 kilometers from the Spanish border,
is wanted in Spain on three charges, including an
assassination attempt on King Juan Carlos in 1995.
Agents said they had had him under surveillance for
some time in the hope of catching other ETA leaders.
Clashes erupted Friday night between pro- and anti-ETA
demonstrators in downtown San Sebastian. The troubles
lasted four hours as regional police tried to separate
the two sides. The pro-ETA demonstrators were
protesting against the arrest of Mr. Arregui, while
the Anti-ETA faction was protesting the shooting on
Thursday of Jose Ramon Rekalde, a university professor
and former justice minister in the regional
government. Mr. Rekalde survived the attack.
(Signed)
NEB/GC/ALW/PLM
16-Sep-2000 11:47 AM EDT (16-Sep-2000 1547 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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