Police station attacked by car bomb in Basque Country, two officers injured
Friday, August 24, 2007
A police station of the Spanish Guardia Civil was attacked today Friday by a car bomb in the Basque city of Durango, injuring two policemen. It is believed to be the first serious attack of the separatist group ETA since it unilaterally ended a cease-fire in June. The blast caused serious damage to the police barracks in Durango, shattering windows and damaging police cars parked outside. Several nearby apartment buildings were also damaged. Police sources believe the bomb, estimated to contain between 80 and 100 kilograms of explosives, was detonated remotely by one of the two attackers who fled in another vehicle. Another car exploded about one hour later in the town of Amorebieta, possibly the one used by the activists to flee.
ETA detonated two small explosive devices on July 25 along the route that the Tour of France used when the race dipped into northern Spain for a few hours.
ETA called the cease-fire in March 2006, but grew frustrated with a lack of government concessions in ensuing peace talks, and set off a huge bomb in a parking area at Madrid's airport on December 30, killing two people. It insisted then that the truce was still in effect, but finally declared it formally over in June, and Spanish security forces have been on alert ever since.
Related news
- "ETA places explosives on Tour de France route in Spain" — Wikinews, July 25, 2007
- "ETA ends year-long cease-fire with Spain" — Wikinews, June 5, 2007
- "ETA declares permanent cease-fire" — Wikinews, March 22, 2006
Sources
- "Car Bomb That Injured 2 Spanish Police Officers Blamed on ETA" — Fox News, August 24, 2007
- "Eta blamed for Spanish car bomb" — BBC News, August 24, 2007
- "Peut-être un attentat d’ETA au Pays basque espagnol" — Le Figaro, August 24, 2007
- "ETA reaparece tras la ruptura del alto el fuego con un coche bomba en Durango" — El Pais, August 24, 2007
- "ETA reaparece con una furgoneta bomba con 100 kilos de explosivo en Durango" — El Mundo, August 24, 2007
- "ETA blamed for car bomb attack" — CNN, August 23, 2007