Missiles found in ETA search
From Al Goodman
CNN Madrid Bureau Chief
MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- French police have found two Russian-made missiles in a search for arms caches following the arrest of the suspected top leader of the Basque separatist group ETA, Spain's Interior Ministry said.
The missiles were "in perfect condition and ready to be used," the ministry said in a statement Tuesday. A ministry spokeswoman told CNN she could not confirm Spanish media reports that the missiles were surface-to-air weapons.
Previous finds included supplies of dynamite and scores of grenades and guns.
The ministry statement said police "still have not determined the technical characteristics of the missiles," which were found in homes in the locales of Briscous and Urrugne in southwest France.
On Sunday, police arrested Mikel Albizu Iriarte, alias "Mikel Antza," along with his partner, Soledad Iparraguirre, alias "Anboto," at Salies de Bearn in southwestern France.
The two were among 21 ETA suspects arrested in a series of raids in France and Spain on Sunday.
Albizu is suspected of being the top ETA leader for the past 11 years. Iparraguirre is wanted for involvement in at least 14 murders and is considered the highest-ranking woman in ETA, the ministry said.
She also is suspected of running ETA's extortion unit, which demanded protection money from businesses and individuals -- money that was then used to finance ETA attacks.
By late Monday, the ministry said, a search of seven suspected ETA hideouts in southwest France had yielded 627 kg (1,379 pounds) of dynamite, 100 grenades, 31 grenade launchers, 89 guns, thousands of rounds of ammunition and nearly $90,000 in cash. The guns included assault rifles and Uzi-type machine guns.
At one location, Saint Pierre d'Irube, police found a subterranean shooting gallery apparently used for target practice. Police also found four computers, which are being analyzed.
"This operation is historic," Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso told reporters Sunday. "Despite this grave blow (to ETA), we continue on maximum alert and won't let our guard down for one single minute."
ETA has fought for more than three decades to establish a Basque homeland independent of Spain. The group is blamed for more than 800 deaths. ETA is the Basque-language acronym for Euskadi ta Askatasuna -- or Basque Homeland and Freedom.
The United States and the European Union consider ETA a terrorist organization.
Increased cooperation between Spain and France has resulted in the arrests of hundreds of ETA suspects in recent years.
