Three arrested after Basque street violence

Several buses have been destroyed in the violence

MADRID (Reuters) -- Three people have been arrested after a night of street violence in Spain's Basque region as police toughened their stance after a surge of attacks blamed on the ETA separatist group.

The three people were detained as they attempted to burn buses in the old quarter of the coastal city of San Sebastian, a police spokesman said on Wednesday.

Groups of masked youths linked to ETA regularly stage acts of vandalism in Basque cities and have recently stepped up activity as attacks by the Basque separatist group have intensified.

INTERACTIVE Timeline of the ETA campaign     MESSAGE BOARD Terrorism in Spain

Arrests for street violence were, until recently, rare, suggesting a harder line by the local police.

Almost 20 buses have been destroyed and 17 people arrested in the northern Spanish region since last week, police said.

On Tuesday, civil guards blew up a car packed with 100 kg (220 pounds) of explosives in northern Spain believed to have been intended for use in an attack by ETA.

The guerrilla group has claimed responsibility for seven killings since ending a ceasefire last December. It has been blamed for about 800 deaths since it began its violent campaign for an independent Basque state more than 30 years ago.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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