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Madrid blast injures general

Damaged building
The bomb was detonated by remote control  


MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- A parcel bomb has exploded in Madrid, injuring at least 10 people -- including an army general.

Spanish Interior Minister Mariano Rajoy said that the bomb was activated by remote control as General Justo Oreja Pedraza walked by the Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria bank.

Police immediately blamed the Basque separatist group ETA for the attack, although there has been no claim of responsibility.

The bomb contained two kilos or four and half pounds of explosives and the force of the bomb damaged about 70 apartments in six difference buildings

Those injured were said to not be suffering life-threatening wounds

Calle Lopez de Hoyes in north-eastern Madrid was cordoned off following the blast at 8.30 a.m. on Thursday.

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ETA has been responsible for about 800 deaths during its bloody 30-year campaign for a separate Basque homeland straddling the Spanish-French border.

Rajoy said he was not aware that ETA used remote-controlled package bombs as the group usually used car bombs.

But the group does regularly target military staff, politicians and journalists.

Later a car, believed to be a getaway car used by suspected members of ETA, exploded in Madrid, officials said.

"There was an explosion involving a Peugeot 405," a police spokesman told Reuters.

He added that no one was injured by the blast which occurred near the Santiago Bernabeu stadium of soccer club Real Madrid.

ETA often blows up getaway cars used after carrying out attacks to destroy any evidence and distract police.

Last week a car bomb, also suspected to be the work of ETA, exploded in the northern Spanish city of San Sebastian.

The blast caused extensive damage to buildings and cars but no-one was hurt.

Police cleared the area following anonymous telephone warnings to the pro-separatist newspaper Gara and the local road safety organisation.





RELATED STORIES:
RELATED SITES:
• Spanish Interior Ministry
• The Basque Country
• Association for Peace in the Basque Country

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