The Basque separatist group Eta today claimed responsibility for a powerful car bombing that killed two people, but insisted a “permanent” ceasefire it called in March remained in force and said the fatalities were unintentional.

The Spanish prime minister toured a scene of utter destruction from a car-bombing and today warned the Basque separatist group Eta it had acted futilely by detonating the blast, insisting his government and people would not be intimidated.