Spanish Police Arrest Basque Separatist Political Leaders

Those arrested include former party leader, Arnaldo Otegi, who was seized in the coastal city of San Sebastian. Photo by top-people.starmedia.com

Spanish authorities have arrested at least five senior members of the Basque separatist movement's banned political wing, Batasuna.

Those arrested include former party leader, Arnaldo Otegi, who was seized in the coastal city of San Sebastian.

The political grouping was outlawed in 2003 because of its alleged links to the armed separatist group Eta.

Eta has been blamed for more than 820 deaths during its campaign for an independent Basque homeland in Spain.

The arrests were made on the order of High Court Judge Baltasar Garzon who, sources say, believes that the party was trying to re-form and operate under instructions from Eta.

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