IT TAKES TRUE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO EFFECTIVELY FIGHT TERRORISM

Today in coordination, Spain and France arrested twelve persons that ran an organization of extorsion to fund ETA. Five were arrested in Spain and seven other in France. All were older persons, one seventy-two years old, another with a doctorade from Cambridge, that had created and ran this organization involved in terrorizing, kidnapping and threating, more often than not, fellow Basques in order to obtain funds. These arrests were fruit of two years of investigation directed by two judges, one from each nation. These proceedings are a direct result of Judge Baltasar Garzón in 1998. Judge Garzón became known internationally when he ordered the arrest of Pinochet for human rights violation during a visit to England. The investigation is still open and more arrests are pending.

There are many examples, for the history of ETA is full of extorsions, including the kidnapping of the father of international known signer Julio Iglesia, and a popular Basque factory owner. In the last case a ransom of four American Million Dollars was demanded. The family, even if they sold the factory would not have the amount required. There were manifestations by the employees, the town, the citizenry of nearby cities and at the capital, by politicians of all political persuasions who both publicly and privately begged that the ETA release this man. They did not, and somehow through incredible fund raising and borrowing the man’s family and friends came up with the four million. The man was released after months and months of captivity in poor health. The only motivation for this kidnapping was to raise money to finance yet more killings. Just this 13th of April, Basque businessmen received threatening letters demanding money. Bear in mind that this is after the declared cease fire by ETA on March 22, 2006.