Spanish police seize explosives, arrest five Eta suspects

Spanish paramilitary police arrested five suspected members of the armed Basque group Eta today, seizing 220 lbs of explosives.

The five were arrested in raids in the northern coastal city of San Sebastian and the towns of Billabona and Ibarra.

National Radio said police had confiscated the explosives, a machine gun and several smaller guns as well as computer material in the operation.

Police confirmed the arrests but said details would be released later.

The radio said the detainees were also being investigated for possible links to Thursday’s murder of a Socialist party town councillor in the Basque region, a killing authorities blamed on Eta.

Eta has admitted killing more than 800 people since it took up arms for Basque independence in 1968.

The group is classified as a terrorist group by the EU and the United States.