ETA

Euzkadi Ta Azkatasuna, ‘the Basque Country and its Liberty’. A political and terrorist movement founded in 1959, which advocates the independence of the Spanish Basque country (North West Spain). At the beginning it enjoyed great popular support, including in the rest of Spain as it was opposed to General Franco’s dictatorial regime, in power since the end of the civil war. Their activities were at first directed against the interests and representatives of the central state. But in the 1990s it also targeted police personnel, elected representatives and Basque intellectuals who were considered ‘traitors’. Today ETA has practically no popular support.