Basque separatists invited to SF Ard Fheis

Sinn Fein chairman Mitchel McLaughlin has revealed that political representatives of the Basque separatist group ETA will address delegates at this year’s Ard Fheis in Dublin.

Mr McLaughlin said political representatives of many rebel groups have been invited to the Ard Fheis but he insisted that ETA itself has not been invited.

ETA has been fighting for an independent Basque homeland in northern Spain and southern France since 1968.

The Basques are believed to be the oldest ethnic group in Europe and have a language unlike any other in the world.