News

Alleged ETA''s military chief has been arrested by French police, marking the third suspected leader of the Basque separatist guerrillas to be captured in under six months.

The previous suspected leader, Aitzol Iriondo, was arrested in southern France on Dec. 8, three weeks after his alleged predecessor, Mikel de Garikoitz Aspiazu, alias ''Txeroki'', was caught in France.

Operation details

Jurdan Martitegi, 28, had a pistol and was using a stolen car with false plates when he was arrested in southern France, along with two other suspected ETA members, the source said.

Spanish media said police captured Martitegi, his bodyguard Mikel Oroz and suspected ETA cell leader Alex Uriarte, who was also armed and driving a stolen car.

Nearly 2 metres tall, strongly built and known as "the giant", Martitegi is regarded as one of the most dangerous men in Spain and France, where his photo appears on wanted posters in airports and train stations. He had been on the run since July when Spanish police broke up ETA''s main attack unit, known as the "Vizcaya cell", which was blamed for a string of bombings on police stations and government buildings.

More detainees

Six more people have been arrested in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Renteria and Bilbao in relation to this police operation.

Igor Garcia Otxoa, Jonathan Guerra Tejero, Asier Ortiz de Guinea and Olaritz Arakama have been arrested in Alava, Sergio Bravo Saez Urabain in Bilbao and Gorka Iriarte Saez in Renteria (Gipuzkoa).