Darlene_Ihnfsa
03-12-2004, 08:10 PM
Friday December 3, 07:21 PM
By Emma Pinedo
MADRID (Reuters) - The Basque separatist group ETA has set off five bombs at petrol stations around Madrid, putting a stranglehold on the city at the start of a long holiday weekend.
Two police officers were slightly wounded, officials said.
Friday's attacks mark a significant return to violence after months of relative inactivity for ETA, severely weakened by a police crackdown that has netted more than 100 suspects this year.
They also dashed hopes of Christmas truce after the guerrillas had offered to enter talks with Spain -- an offer that was roundly rejected by the mainstream political class.
"They want to send a message of 'Here we are. We wanted to talk'," said Gorka Knorr, a senior Basque politician.
The blasts forced police to seal off major highways leading from the capital amid a massive exodus for a long holiday weekend. Highways were choked with traffic and bomb squads and emergency services stood by in case they were needed.
"Five small artefacts have exploded. They were not powerful bombs. There is hardly any material damage," an Interior Ministry spokeswoman said.
But witnesses were impressed by the force of the blasts.
"I heard a very loud noise and saw smoke ... if that's a small explosion, my God," a woman who had been washing her car at the station told Telemadrid television.
Casualties from the blasts were limited as the service stations had been evacuated in time.
ETA forewarned of the attacks in a telephone call to the Basque newspaper Gara, a method which ETA regularly uses to announce impending attacks.
HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
ETA has killed nearly 850 people since 1968 in a bombing and shooting campaign for an independent Basque state in northern Spain and southwestern France.
But it has been relatively inactive since the March 11 train bombings -- carried out by Islamic militants -- killed 191 people in Madrid.
ETA has not carried out a fatal attack in 18 months amid a fierce police crackdown in Spain and France. Among those rounded up recently were the group's top leadership in France.
Monday's holiday celebrates the 1978 constitution, a source of pride to most Spaniards marking the return to democracy after the four-decade dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.
But Basque radicals loathe the constitution for reconfirming that the three provinces of the Basque Country, home to some 2 million people, are part of Spain.
source: http://uk.news.yahoo.com
They do it again :angry: , they want to make our bank days sad :angry: .
When i heard that a bomb was near tech uni of madrid i just though, "mabel maybe was there, she must be so nervous".
:cry: :bigcry:
By Emma Pinedo
MADRID (Reuters) - The Basque separatist group ETA has set off five bombs at petrol stations around Madrid, putting a stranglehold on the city at the start of a long holiday weekend.
Two police officers were slightly wounded, officials said.
Friday's attacks mark a significant return to violence after months of relative inactivity for ETA, severely weakened by a police crackdown that has netted more than 100 suspects this year.
They also dashed hopes of Christmas truce after the guerrillas had offered to enter talks with Spain -- an offer that was roundly rejected by the mainstream political class.
"They want to send a message of 'Here we are. We wanted to talk'," said Gorka Knorr, a senior Basque politician.
The blasts forced police to seal off major highways leading from the capital amid a massive exodus for a long holiday weekend. Highways were choked with traffic and bomb squads and emergency services stood by in case they were needed.
"Five small artefacts have exploded. They were not powerful bombs. There is hardly any material damage," an Interior Ministry spokeswoman said.
But witnesses were impressed by the force of the blasts.
"I heard a very loud noise and saw smoke ... if that's a small explosion, my God," a woman who had been washing her car at the station told Telemadrid television.
Casualties from the blasts were limited as the service stations had been evacuated in time.
ETA forewarned of the attacks in a telephone call to the Basque newspaper Gara, a method which ETA regularly uses to announce impending attacks.
HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
ETA has killed nearly 850 people since 1968 in a bombing and shooting campaign for an independent Basque state in northern Spain and southwestern France.
But it has been relatively inactive since the March 11 train bombings -- carried out by Islamic militants -- killed 191 people in Madrid.
ETA has not carried out a fatal attack in 18 months amid a fierce police crackdown in Spain and France. Among those rounded up recently were the group's top leadership in France.
Monday's holiday celebrates the 1978 constitution, a source of pride to most Spaniards marking the return to democracy after the four-decade dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.
But Basque radicals loathe the constitution for reconfirming that the three provinces of the Basque Country, home to some 2 million people, are part of Spain.
source: http://uk.news.yahoo.com
They do it again :angry: , they want to make our bank days sad :angry: .
When i heard that a bomb was near tech uni of madrid i just though, "mabel maybe was there, she must be so nervous".
:cry: :bigcry: