Friday December 3, 07:21 PM

 

By Emma Pinedo

 

MADRID (Reuters) - The Basque separatist group ETA has set off five bombs at petrol stations around Madrid, putting a stranglehold on the city at the start of a long holiday weekend.

 

Two police officers were slightly wounded, officials said.

 

Friday's attacks mark a significant return to violence after months of relative inactivity for ETA, severely weakened by a police crackdown that has netted more than 100 suspects this year.

 

They also dashed hopes of Christmas truce after the guerrillas had offered to enter talks with Spain -- an offer that was roundly rejected by the mainstream political class.

 

"They want to send a message of 'Here we are. We wanted to talk'," said Gorka Knorr, a senior Basque politician.

 

The blasts forced police to seal off major highways leading from the capital amid a massive exodus for a long holiday weekend. Highways were choked with traffic and bomb squads and emergency services stood by in case they were needed.

 

"Five small artefacts have exploded. They were not powerful bombs. There is hardly any material damage," an Interior Ministry spokeswoman said.

 

But witnesses were impressed by the force of the blasts.

 

"I heard a very loud noise and saw smoke ... if that's a small explosion, my God," a woman who had been washing her car at the station told Telemadrid television.

 

Casualties from the blasts were limited as the service stations had been evacuated in time.

 

ETA forewarned of the attacks in a telephone call to the Basque newspaper Gara, a method which ETA regularly uses to announce impending attacks.

 

HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

 

ETA has killed nearly 850 people since 1968 in a bombing and shooting campaign for an independent Basque state in northern Spain and southwestern France.

 

But it has been relatively inactive since the March 11 train bombings -- carried out by Islamic militants -- killed 191 people in Madrid.

 

ETA has not carried out a fatal attack in 18 months amid a fierce police crackdown in Spain and France. Among those rounded up recently were the group's top leadership in France.

 

Monday's holiday celebrates the 1978 constitution, a source of pride to most Spaniards marking the return to democracy after the four-decade dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.

 

But Basque radicals loathe the constitution for reconfirming that the three provinces of the Basque Country, home to some 2 million people, are part of Spain.

 

source: http://uk.news.yahoo.com

 

They do it again :angry: , they want to make our bank days sad :angry: .

When i heard that a bomb was near tech uni of madrid i just though, "mabel maybe was there, she must be so nervous".

 

 

:cry: :bigcry:

...fuck ETA!... awwwww...:cry:

 

but no one died!?...rite!?... :/

that sucks so badly :(

no one died, but two police are in hospital becasue they were slightly wounded :(

:( ok...

and news said that a bomb was near politechinical uni in madrid, i think mabel study there, but i´m not sure. :/

damn terrorists.... *shakes fist in air*

 

I hope mabel is ok.. :embarrased:

 

When will the madness end...... when!!!! :angry: :angry: :cry:

Oh...

jooooooooooo that's terrible!!!! damn ETA, they don't even represent most of the Basque people, most don't want to use terrorism :angry:

i know it and hopefully most spanish know it, they have no reason to keep doing it. :angry:

Oh...

that was sincere....

Oh...

that was sincere....

 

Thank you for notice it

bad news... yes, but today it wasn't a really serious thing... so... :/ well i don't know if i'm expressing myself very well...

i don't like to keep "bombing" it today...

 

they failed and that's all, so good

its a friggin outrage!

my friend nadia lives in madrid. damn.

:( a friend was in madrid only 2 days ago.

and remember Mabel is there. (mya_bass). i wrote her an email yesterday.

i know people in madrid too :stunned:

It's always the same... when police caught some of these terrorists to send them to the jail they always prepare some bomb. It's like a proof to say they're still active... :(

That's awful.. :stunned:

Where's Mabel?

lol, nobody died

mabel is in madrid, she live there i think in alcorcón :idea2: