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Basque leader arrested in Spain | Basque leader arrested in Spain |
(40 minutes later) | |
The leader of banned Basque separatist party Batasuna has been arrested in northern Spain. | |
Arnaldo Otegi's arrest comes only three days after Basque militant group Eta, which is closely linked to Batasuna, called off its ceasefire. | Arnaldo Otegi's arrest comes only three days after Basque militant group Eta, which is closely linked to Batasuna, called off its ceasefire. |
It also follows a Supreme Court ruling confirming a 15-month prison sentence against Otegi for glorifying terrorism. | It also follows a Supreme Court ruling confirming a 15-month prison sentence against Otegi for glorifying terrorism. |
The arrest happened as Otegi, one of Basque separatism's leading figures, was due to give a news conference. | |
The Associated Press cited a court official saying Otegi had been detained in order to start serving his sentence. | |
He was being transferred to prison, the official said. | |
Otegi was sentenced last year for comments he made at a demonstration in 2003 marking the 25th anniversary of the death of an Eta rebel. | |
He appealed against the conviction, but a panel of judges unanimously rejected the appeal on Friday and his arrest followed swiftly. |
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