'Leader' of Eta arrested in France
The presumed leader of the Basque separatist terrorist group is said to have been arrested in Pas-de-Calais
A MAN thought to be the current leader of the Basque separatist group Eta has been arrested in Pas-de-Calais, according to a Spanish newspaper.
El Pais reports that Alejandro Zobaran Arriola, known as Xarlas, and three other people thought to be members of the organisation, were arrested in Willencourt, a small village near the Belgian border.
They are said to have been in possession of arms and false papers.
A community centre leader is said to have tipped off the local gendarmerie after being suspicious about the papers presented by the group, who were claiming to be students.
The papers turned out to be false and the French police put them under surveillance.
The suspects were then arrested in a house where arms and documents were also seized.
Eta's campaign for Basque independence has resulted in hundreds of deaths since 1968.
The new arrests bring the total to 33 since a new operation against Eta started in Spain in January, in collaboration with other governments.
Earlier this week, two presumed Eta members were also arrested in Bayonne in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
The Spanish government believes it is close to victory over the group, which it considers a criminal gang.
Eta said this year it would cease armed operations, but the Spanish government wants it to disband.
