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Spanish PM suspends Eta dialogue | Spanish PM suspends Eta dialogue |
(10 minutes later) | |
Spain's prime minister has said he is suspending all moves towards dialogue with Basque separatist group Eta after a car bomb attack at a Madrid airport. | Spain's prime minister has said he is suspending all moves towards dialogue with Basque separatist group Eta after a car bomb attack at a Madrid airport. |
At least 19 people were injured and two are missing after the blast in the car park of Barajas Airport. | At least 19 people were injured and two are missing after the blast in the car park of Barajas Airport. |
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said this was the rebels' worst mistake but did not announce ending the peace process. | Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said this was the rebels' worst mistake but did not announce ending the peace process. |
A spokesman for the group said peace talks were needed more than ever. Eta called a ceasefire nine months ago. | A spokesman for the group said peace talks were needed more than ever. Eta called a ceasefire nine months ago. |
'Incompatible' | |
The blast brought several floors of the multi-storey car park at Madrid's international airport crashing down on top of each other and left vehicles covered with rubble and glass. | |
Several floors of the multi-storey car park collapsed | |
Officials said the armed separatist group, Eta, had made a call to claim the attack. | |
Mr Zapatero said the bombing was "utterly incompatible" with the ceasefire, announced in March. "Today's is the most mistaken, futile step which the terrorists could take," he told a news conference. | |
"I have decided to suspend all initiatives for dialogue with Eta," he added. | |
But, from the city of San Sebastian, the leader of the banned political party Batasuna - regarded as a mouthpiece for Eta - denied that the peace process was damaged, saying it was now "more necessary than ever". | |
Arnaldo Otegi said dialogue was the only "reasonable and democratic alternative" to "definitively change the situation in our country". | |
But the BBC's Danny Wood, in Madrid, says that after the bomb attack talks seem a long way off. | |
The Eta ceasefire was declared in March after four decades of violence aimed at creating an independent Basque state in the north of the country. | The Eta ceasefire was declared in March after four decades of violence aimed at creating an independent Basque state in the north of the country. |
Pressure grows | Pressure grows |
The bomb exploded at about 0900 (0800 GMT), causing minor injuries to at least 19 people including two police officers and a taxi driver, emergency services said. | The bomb exploded at about 0900 (0800 GMT), causing minor injuries to at least 19 people including two police officers and a taxi driver, emergency services said. |
ETA TIMELINE 1959: Eta founded1968: Eta kills San Sebastian secret police chief Meliton Manzanas, its first victim1973: PM Luis Carrero Blanco assassinated1978: Political wing Herri Batasuna formed1980: 118 people killed in bloodiest yearSept 1998: Indefinite ceasefireNov 1999: End of ceasefire, followed by more bomb attacks in January and February 2000Dec 2001: EU declares Eta a terrorist organisationMarch 2003: Batasuna banned by Supreme CourtMay 2003: Two police killed in Eta's last deadly attackNov 2005: 56 alleged Eta activists on trial in the largest prosecution of its kindMarch 2006: Eta declares permanent ceasefire Key events | ETA TIMELINE 1959: Eta founded1968: Eta kills San Sebastian secret police chief Meliton Manzanas, its first victim1973: PM Luis Carrero Blanco assassinated1978: Political wing Herri Batasuna formed1980: 118 people killed in bloodiest yearSept 1998: Indefinite ceasefireNov 1999: End of ceasefire, followed by more bomb attacks in January and February 2000Dec 2001: EU declares Eta a terrorist organisationMarch 2003: Batasuna banned by Supreme CourtMay 2003: Two police killed in Eta's last deadly attackNov 2005: 56 alleged Eta activists on trial in the largest prosecution of its kindMarch 2006: Eta declares permanent ceasefire Key events |
The authorities had time to evacuate the area, but two person remain missing. The bomb significantly damaged the car park, sending a huge plume of smoke over terminal four. | |
Flights in and out of terminal four were halted for a few hours. | |
In March, Eta declared that it was permanently ending an armed campaign that has killed more than 800 people. | In March, Eta declared that it was permanently ending an armed campaign that has killed more than 800 people. |
In response, Mr Zapatero announced the beginning of talks with the militant separatist group, although discussions have not officially started. | In response, Mr Zapatero announced the beginning of talks with the militant separatist group, although discussions have not officially started. |
Victims' associations and the conservative opposition are renewing their demands that the government immediately call off the peace process, our correspondent says. |