Police seize ETA suspects, arms

MADRID, Spain -- Spanish police have arrested five ETA suspects and bagged a hoard of explosives in a raid described as "brilliant" by a top government official.

Police carried out the operation against the Basque separatist group early on Monday in the northern coastal city of San Sebastian and the towns of Billabona and Ibarra.

More than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of explosives, as well as a limpet bomb prepared for use, were seized during the raid.

Interior Minister Mariano Rajoy described the action, carried out by the Civil Guard paramilitary police, as a "brilliant operation."

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Beside the explosives and limpet bomb, police also confiscated detonators, grenade launchers, a submachine gun, an assault rifle and several other arms, as well as computer material, Rajoy said.

ETA frequently uses limpet bombs on the cars of its targets.

Rajoy said the arrests were further evidence of the strong ties between many Basque social and political groups and the armed organisation ETA.

He said one of those arrested had been a member of the now-defunct radical youth group Jarrai while another had been a candidate for the political party Batasuna.

Rajoy added the arrests backed the government's claim that "ETA and Batasuna are the same thing."

The government of Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar is trying to draw up legislation that would allow it to ban Batasuna.

Rajoy also confirmed that the detainees have been investigated for their possible links to last Thursday's killing of a Socialist party town councillor in the Basque region, a killing authorities blame on ETA.

It was the first killing blamed on ETA on this year and happened as the councillor was eating lunch in a bar.

Nobody has yet claimed responsibility for the death.

ETA has admitted to killing more than 800 people since it took up arms for Basque independence in 1968.

The group, whose name is a Basque-language acronym for Basque Homeland and Freedom, is classified as a terrorist group by the European Union and the United States.