Spanish PM accuses ETA of ethnic cleansing

MADRID (Reuters) -- Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar on Friday accused the Basque separatist group ETA of pursuing "ethnic cleansing" and vowed not to waver in using force against a guerrilla offensive that has killed seven people in six weeks.

Aznar's strongest comments since the start of ETA's summer offensive coincided with the armed group claiming responsibility for four recent killings and confirming that four men blown up accidentally were fighters heading for an attack.

Aznar told a news conference: "The terrorist band has mobilised all of its criminal capacity against those ... who refuse to accept their final aim, which is to convert the Basque country into a camp of ethnic cleansing, political cleansing and ideological cleansing."

INTERACTIVE ETA-related violence in 2000 Timeline of the ETA campaign     MESSAGE BOARD Terrorism in Spain

ETA resumed its bloody campaign for an independent state in Basque areas of northern Spain and southern France this year after halting a 14-month ceasefire last December.

With a statement published in the Basque newspaper Gara Friday, ETA has now claimed responsibility for 11 murders this year. Officials also blame the group for a 12th killing -- the fatal shooting of a politician on Tuesday.

In addition, four ETA guerrillas died on August 7 when their car loaded with explosives blew up on the streets of Bilbao. "These four fighters are an example for all ETA members," the statement said.

PM attacks local government

Relations between the central government in Madrid and the Basque regional government have also deteriorated.

Aznar stepped up his verbal attacks on the local governing Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) for refusing to sever all ties with a radical independence party that is allied with ETA.

"The leaders of the Basque Nationalist Party have crossed the line and have abandoned the democratic camp and joined the enemy camp," Aznar told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

The PNV has criticized the government for squandering chances to negotiate peace during the ceasefire and for relying exclusively on police to combat ETA.

While Aznar spoke in Madrid, Basque regional President Juan Jose Ibarretxe renewed his proposal for multi-party talks aimed at finding a solution and called on ETA's political allies to condemn violence.

"We can never build a forum (for dialogue) if those taking part do not reject violence," Ibarretxe said. "It is possible to sit down together and seek a future solution in a civilised and democratic dialogue."

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Spanish Government
Association for Peace in the Basque Country

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