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Josu Ternera: Leader of Eta Basque rebels arrested in France | Josu Ternera: Leader of Eta Basque rebels arrested in France |
(32 minutes later) | |
The political leader of the Basque separatist group Eta has been arrested in the French Alps after 17 years on the run, officials say. | |
In a joint French-Spanish police operation, Josu Ternera - whose real name is José Antonio Urrutikoetxea - was arrested in Sallanches. | In a joint French-Spanish police operation, Josu Ternera - whose real name is José Antonio Urrutikoetxea - was arrested in Sallanches. |
He is accused over several Eta killings. | |
Eta, which waged a violent campaign for Basque independence for more than 40 years, said in 2018 it was disbanding. | |
The group killed more than 800 people during its campaign of violence before declaring a ceasefire in 2011. | |
Reports say Ternera is seriously ill and Spanish police tipped off their French colleagues that he was on his way to hospital, triggering his arrest. | |
Spanish prosecutors allege that Josu Ternera was involved in a car bomb attack outside a Civil Guard barracks in the northern city of Zaragoza in December 1987, which killed 11 people, including five children. | |
From 1989 to 2000 he was held in French and Spanish jails. | From 1989 to 2000 he was held in French and Spanish jails. |
Eta disbanded | |
In an audio announcement in May 2018, he said Eta had "completely dismantled all of its structures" and would "no longer express political positions, promote initiatives or interact with other actors". | |
He said former members would "continue the struggle for a reunited, independent, socialist, Basque-speaking and non patriarchal Basque Country". | |
The group began its campaign in 1968, during the Franco military dictatorship, and is considered a terrorist organisation by the European Union. | |
Josu Ternera was elected to the Basque regional parliament, despite being prosecuted by the Spanish authorities. | |
Spain's Supreme Court had ordered him to appear before a judge in November 2002 but he never turned up. At that point an international arrest warrant was issued, and Interpol listed him among the most wanted fugitives. |