The Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, has vowed that the Spanish government will not budge an inch in response to the Basque separatist group ETA following two car bombings in Madrid blamed on the guerrillas. This morning's explosions killed an army officer and wounded a teenage girl. Leading political parties and trade unions are planning a huge rally in the capital on Sunday to protest at the renewed violence.
The provincial government in the Basque region has said that it is suspending its parliamentary alliance with the political wing of ETA. The Basque paramilitary separatist group has not claimed responsibility, but the attacks bore all its hallmarks. ETA's political wing, Euskal Herritarrok, said that it regretted the loss of life, but blamed, what it called, the Spanish government's long-standing refusal to discuss Basque self-determination.
The explosions took place about half an hour apart during the morning rush hour. The blast that killed the officer is believed to have been caused by a booby trap device in his car. There were no casualties in the second attack. Fears of an attack by ETA have been mounting in Spain since November, when the organisation called off a 14-month truce. In December, Civil Guards intercepted two vans loaded with almost two tonnes of explosive on their way to Madrid.
