ETA leader ‘had planned kidnap’

THE suspected leader of the armed Basque group, ETA, was probably planning a kidnapping before he was arrested at the weekend, police said.

Spain’s interior minister, Alfredo Pezez Rubalcaba, said handcuffs were found among his belongings when they raided the French village of Cahan, adding that “handcuffs are not the type of material ETA commandos normally have.”

He said the arrest of Ibon Gogeascoechea and two aides had confirmed police suspicions that ETA “still have the idea of carrying out a kidnapping”.