44 Basque Nationalists Facing Charges

Since the March 1st Basque regional elections ETA, the Basque separatist group fighting for Basque freedom, has not been in the headlines. But they made the headlines in a Reuter’s article written two days ago. Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzón is charging 44 suspected members of the terrorist group. They are said to have been plotting in the interests of ETA through its three banned political parties Batasuna, the Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCTV) and the Basque Nationalist Action (ANV).

ETA’s membership runs very deep in the Basque Country as included in these arrests were mayors in the Basque town of Mondragon. The men arrested from Mondragon were Maria Inocencia Galparsoro, Pernando Barrena and Joseba Permach.

All of these 44 men will not go to jail but a good amount of them will, delivering a huge blow to the Separatist group fighting for secession from Spain.

On another note, the Spanish government has recently moved several dozen convicted ETA members to jails closer to the Basque region. These men have become dissidents within ETA helping the Spanish government and allowing there family members to visit on an easier basis because of their conduct. Some of the men being moved include one time military leader Santiago Arrospide alias Santi Potros, who was sentenced to 3,000 years after killing 21 people in Barcelona in 1987. Potros and some other members were moved to a facility near Zaragoza putting them much closer to the Basque region.

The terrorist group is responsible for killing more than 800 people in the last 50 years. Now they have to deal with these two huge blows that could possibly have major effects on the fight for freedom. Major members will soon be going to jail and help from incarcerated ex-members is helping Spain defeat the Separatist group. Since the banning of the three left-wing parties the Spanish government has taken huge steps in taking down ETA. With so many members possibly going to jail it will be interesting to see the next move they will make. Vamos a ver.