Two arrests weaken ETA, says Spanish minister

THE arrest in France of two suspected leaders of the outlawed Basque separatists ETA significantly weakened the armed group, Spainish justice minister Angel Acebes said yesterday.

Juan Antonio Olarra Guridi and Ainhoa Mugika "were the ones who gave the orders, provide all the material for the attacks ... and most importantly, they were the ones who selected the targets," he said.

Olarra Guridi, 35, and Mugika, 32, were detained yesterday in Talence, near the southern French city of Bordeaux. The justice minister identified a third detainee as Saroia Gallarada, who allegedly rented homes for use as safe houses by ETA members.