Military

DATE=11/11/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=SPAIN / TERRORISM (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-269119

BYLINE=GIL CARBAJAL

DATELINE=MADRID

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: At the end of a week in which Spanish security forces struck major blows against the armed Baque separatist group ETA, nine security agents and two bystanders were injured by a bomb near a civil guards headquarters in Northern Spain. Gil Carbajal reports from Madrid.

TEXT: At least one grenade was hurled at the Civil Guards barracks of Intxaurrondo in the northern city of San Sebastian early Saturday morning.

It caused no significant damage, but while security agents were examining abandoned grenade launchers outside the barracks, an explosive in one blew up, injuring four civil guardsmen, two national and three regional police, and two bystanders. Four of those injured are in serious condition.

The government delegate for the Basque country, Enrique Villar, said the bomb had been set to go off as the agents searched the area.

The attack followed a night of incidents carried out by pro-ETA youth gangs. The office of Spanish National Television in San Sabastian was attacked with gasoline bombs, although damage was minimal.

A tourist agency in a nearby town and a bank in Bilbao also were the targets of firebombs. This type of attack has become routine in the Basque country.

The Spanish interior minister, Jaime Mayor Oreja, says ETA has been recruiting their commandos from the ranks of pro-ETA youth gangs. Consequently, they have not been as meticulous and efficient in carrying out attacks as their predecessors. Police say they are disorganized, imprudent and leave clues.

Most of those arrested as suspected members of ETA commandos in Madrid on Monday and Bilbao on Friday are in their early twenties and have been members of the pro-ETA youth group, Jarrai, which is blamed for most of the street violence in the Basque country.

Mr. Oreja said ETA's Vizcaya commando cell, based in Bilbao, was completely dismantled on Friday, barely three months after the terrorists they replaced were blown up by the explosives they were transporting to carry out an attack.

Police exhibited weapons, explosives and other articles seized in the operation against the Vizcaya commando. They included false license plates, bomb detonators, handguns and enough dynamite for 50 car bombs. (Signed)

NEB/GC/ALW/PLM