Basque separatist group ETA claims 4 deadly attacks in Spain over summer

August 29th, 2009 The Basque country at a glanceThe Basque Country: This region of northern Spain became semiautonomous in 1979 after a new Spanish Constitution was adopted following the death of dictator Gen. Francisco Franco.

August 13th, 2009 Basque separatist protests banned in SpainMADRID — Spanish and Basque authorities have banned three protests marches called by groups linked to the armed group ETA in the northern cities Bilbao and San Sebastian. National Court Judge Baltasar Garzon has prohibited two protests in support of ETA prisoners planned for Friday and Saturday in San Sebastian saying they constituted defense of terrorism.

August 9th, 2009 Bomb explodes on Spain's Mallorca islandMADRID —A small bomb exploded Sunday in a restaurant on the Spanish island of Mallorca, causing minor damage and no injuries, just over a week after Basque separatist group ETA killed two police officers there, the government said. The attack was staged just hours after ETA published a statement claiming responsibly for four other bombings that killed three people and injured dozens this summer.

July 30th, 2009 Spain seals off resort island after bombingPALMA DE MALLORCA, Balearic Islands — Spain has blocked planes and ships from leaving the resort island of Mallorca while they hunt suspects in the bombing that killed two police officers. Thursday's blast is being blamed on armed Basque separatist group ETA.

July 30th, 2009 Explosion kills 2 Spanish police on resort islandPALMA DE MALLORCA, Balearic Islands — An explosion near a police station on a Spanish resort island killed two officers Thursday, a day after a car bombing blamed on Basque separatists injured scores in northern Spain, officials said. The cause of the blast in Mallorca was under investigation and a Civil Guard spokesman in Madrid could not confirm news reports saying the explosion may have been caused by a bomb attached to the underside of a police patrol vehicle.

July 30th, 2009 MADRID - At least two people were killed and several injured in an explosion on Spain's resort island Mallorca, according to media reports Thursday. The explosion was caused by a car bomb outside the Palmanova civil guard barracks, close to the Marivent palace where Spain's royal family is spending its traditional summer holiday, the El Pais newspaper reported.

July 30th, 2009 2 Spanish officers killed in blast on MallorcaMADRID — An explosion near a police station on the Spanish island of Mallorca killed two officers Thursday — a day after a car-bomb attack blamed on Basque separatists left scores injured in northern Spain. A Civil Guard spokesman in Madrid said it was still too early to say what caused Thursday's blast in the Palmanova beach resort area, southwest of the resort island's capital of Palma de Mallorca.

July 29th, 2009 Car bomb in Spain destroys police barracksBURGOS, Spain — A powerful car bomb destroyed a police barracks housing officers and their families in northern Spain on Wednesday, injuring about 60 people and causing major damage in the surrounding area. The attack was blamed on the Basque separatist group ETA.

July 29th, 2009 A glance at Basque group ETA and its goalsA glance at the armed Basque separatist group ETA and its conflict with Spain. HISTORY — ETA was formed in 1959 during the right-wing dictatorship of Gen.

July 5th, 2009 Spain: 3 arrested Basque suspects were armedMADRID — Three suspected members of the Basque separatist group ETA who were captured in France were wanted for violent acts within Spain and had been on the run from police for months, the interior minister said Sunday. Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba named the suspects as Itziar Plaza, Iurgi Garitagoitia and Asier Borrero.

June 19th, 2009 Car bomb in Spain's Basque country kills policemanMADRID — A powerful bomb exploded Friday near the Basque city of Bilbao, killing a policeman in an attack blamed on the separatist group ETA. In what appeared to be the first ETA killing since December, a bomb attached to the underside of the officer's car detonated as he started the engine in a parking lot in the town of Arrigorriaga, the Basque regional interior ministry said.

June 19th, 2009 One dead in car bomb blast in SpainMADRID — Police in Spain's Basque region say a car bomb blast has killed one person. News reports say the victim was a police officer killed Friday when a bomb attached to the underside of his car detonated as he started the engine.

May 9th, 2009 Spain: Socialist takes oath as Basque presidentGUERNICA, Spain — A Socialist leader who has vowed to fight the armed separatist group ETA took the oath of office Thursday as the Basque region's first non-nationalist president. Patxi Lopez was sworn in as president in an ornate chamber in this Basque town, and later stepped outside for a brief ceremony beside an oak tree that is a powerful symbol of Basque pride.

May 5th, 2009 Spain: Basque leader to fight armed separatistsMADRID — Basque Socialist leader Patxi Lopez was voted in as the Basque region's first non-nationalist president Tuesday and vowed to wage a relentless fight against the armed separatist group ETA. Lopez won 39 votes in the 75-seat regional parliament in the Basque capital of Vitoria against 35 for outgoing president Juan Jose Ibarretxe of the Basque Nationalist Party.

March 31st, 2009 MADRID - Eight people were arrested in Spain for planning an attack on the high-speed train being built in the northern region, Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said. According to Rubalcaba, the detainees were members of a group that provided support to the Basque terrorist group (ETA), which has been fighting the government for a separate region.