Basque separatists arrested in France

Police in southern France have arrested at least 12 people with links to Basque separatist groups. Some of those detained are said to be members of Batasuna, the alleged political wing of the armed group ETA, and from another group that supports separatist prisoners. Police say they are investigating the illegal funding of ETA and a terrorist attack in 2006.

Today’s police raids came only hours after two people suspected of being senior ETA members were detained in France’s Loire region, and only days after bombs went off in three different parts of northern Spain.

A soldier died in one of those attacks, outside a military college in Cantabria. Spain and France have been stepping up their cooperation on security. Today, for example, ministers from both countries visited a new anti-drug centre being set up in Toulon.

ETA and Batasuna have been outlawed in Spain, but Batasuna is still legally allowed to operate in France. Both groups want independence for the Basque region, which lies in northern Spain and southern France.

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