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ETA bombs Northern Spain tourist area |
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The separatist organization Basque Homeland and Freedom (ETA) reappeared on Saturday after seven months of silence, exploding two small bombs at two different places in North Spain.
The explosions, causing no casualties, occurred at around 13:00 local time (1200 GMT) in the city of San Vicente de la Barquera in the Cantabria region and the city of Ribadesella in Asturias.
The bombs were detonated after anonymous individuals announced the placing of the bombs in the name of ETA during two respective telephone calls to the local daily newspapers Gara and La Nueva Espana.
The two explosions are the first attack by ETA after Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero took office in April.
The bomb exploding in Ribadesella contained 300 grams of Tytadine explosives and was placed near the Ribadesella Playa Hotel, whose outer walls were damaged, said spokesman of the Asturias government Antonio Trevin.
The explosive was hidden in a plastic bag inside a refrigerator connected to a time-detonating device.
The bomb in San Vicente de la Barquera contained a 200-gram explosive device and was placed in a bag near the city's central park, neighboring the Saturday market and surrounded by numerous bars and restaurants.
Hundreds of people were in downtown San Vicente de la Barquera,one of the most popular tourist sites in Cantabria, which will celebrate its Community Day on Sunday. The area was cordoned off by the Civil Guard after the call claiming the presence of the explosive device on the Miramar Avenue.
The Saturday explosions are the first terrorist action of ETA since last December and the first committed in Spain after the March 11 terrorist attacks by an Islamic organization which shocked Spanish society.
ETA, seeking the separation of Basque from Spain, is considered a terrorist organization due to its numerous bomb attacks. During the past 25 years, it has targeted the country's tourism sector.
The previous ETA action against tourism -- a pillar of the Spanish economy -- occurred on July 27, 2003, when it set off a car bomb in the parking lot of the Cantabria airport. |
