ETA Terror Suspect Arrested in Bilbao

The Guardia Civil today arrested a man suspected of collaborating with Basque separatist group ETA.

The 31 year old man was detained at his home in the Bilbao district of Santutxu at around 2am.

He is thought to have formed part of the ETA cell known as the “Commando Vizcaya,” which was disbanded by Spanish security forces in July 2008.

“Commando Vizcaya” was considered one of the most active groups within ETA, whose struggle for Basque independence has cost over 800 lives over a 40-year period.

It was this group who is thought to be behind the 2006 car bomb at Madrid-Barajas airport that killed two, injured 52, and broke a truce previously declared by the organization.

The man´s ETA membership was unveiled accidentally when a pen-drive containing his details was discovered by the landlord of a flat in the La Rioja region. The flat had been rented by ETA members.

The Spanish Interior Ministry said: “The development of the operation was made possible by the analysis of information by the intelligence services of the Guardia civil, who were able to access the encrypted information in the drive and then put the pieces together which have ended with the arrest of this suspected member of the ETA.”