Spanish police swoop on terror suspects

Police arrested 17 suspected members of the Basque terror group ETA in a series of pre-dawn raids in northern Spain.

About 150 police officers took part in the raids in all three Basque provinces and in the neighbouring Navarra region, the Interior Ministry said.

“The operation served to neutralise an extensive network of active members of ETA, for which they provided infrastructure, support and information on targets,” the ministry said.

At least 32 suspected ETA members have been arrested since October 25, when a suspected logistics operative was captured in Bilbao, the largest and wealthiest Basque city.

ETA has been blamed for more than 800 deaths in its more than 30-year campaign for an independent Basque homeland in territory straddling northern Spain and south-west France.