evamar

I was in London at the time, dead worried about my family and friends in Madrid. 3 of them saved their lives simply because one was late and missed her train and other 2 didn't go to the University. I still remember a gilipollas basque woman on the same day in a street of London saying that it was impossible that ETA did it as the victims were not "objetivo político-militar" (political-militar targets). I went mad

I reminded her of all the bombs ETA put on the streets, at Hipercor with normal people doing their shopping, at beaches, killing families in "casas-cuartel" (army and guardia civil houses)... were they objetivos político militares??? I asked her if she considered fine killing a person (civil, militar, policeman or whatever) in the name of ETA simply because they thought different. She went red and left. This is the problem we have when we simply say the truth about ETA: people still believe that they are the victims, not the killers. Of course they could have put those bombs had they had the means and the ability: they have killed innocent civil citizens MANY TIMES before, including men, women, pregnant women, children, babies, elderly people... as well as those poor innocent "targets". Maybe the PP didn't deal with this attack as they should have to, but nobody should think for any second that ETA is not morally capable of killing innocent people.

Why do British people think that Basque people are oppressed? Are you really stupid or simply believe whatever lies they tell you? I lived there in the early 80's, and the count of dead people was terribly easy: they all thought that one can be both Spanish and Basque, whatever civil militar or politician. Or worked in a Bank or had a good business so they were kidnapped to support the "cause", just like the mafia, but they called the ransom "impuesto revolucionario" (revolutionary tax). Every single day a person or more were killed, by bombs or with a bullet on the back of their necks, very brave. All this when the Basque territory already had the competences of education, local government and local police.

ETA compares themselves with the IRA, their "hermanos de armas" (brothers in arms). How can many of you call IRA members terrorists and still support ETA??? ETA members and their followers are cold blood assassins, they have no social or political reason to exist, other than create terror to get money. A Basque nationalist have their nationalist representatives, they can freely vote, they can keep their language and culture... and this for about 40 years ago. Why do they kill innocents?

If you want to see who the really oppressed are, you only have to hang a Spanish flag in the old part of San Sebastián or write "Viva España" on a wall... you will then see, and good luck. The oppressed are not the Basque nacionalists as you stupidly think. Please do go there and publicly support Spain with flags and walks, just as they can do freely with their nationalist flags and ideas. Then, you will be able to give an opinion... if you survive.

And now, AMAIUR was not declared illegal, remember that in Spain there is not real separation of the 3 powers, so the TC followed the instructions of the PSOE. Surely this is what the PSOE has paid for the stupid meaningless declaration of ETA's cease fire right before the elections so they could say that it happened under a PSOE government. Not a word of apology for all the victims (the REAL victims, almost 1,000), handing over the weapons or disbanding. They simply created a theatre show, payed good money to stupid international monkeys and got 7 (SEVEN!) representatives in Madrid for little over 300,000 votes! Etarras in the Congreso.

Have you actually read their report arguing that they are also victims and demanding a pension??? They include the terrorists killed by the bombs they themselves were trying to place (those are deaths I'm actually happy about!), the terrorists who died while hidden in South American paradises, one who drawn in the sea while holidaying on a beach... compare that to the 1,000 people they killed by bombs and bullets!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, MR ZAPATERO, MR RUBALCABA AND ALL YOUR STUPID PSOE STRATEGISTS, YOU HAVE MORALLY PUT THE GUN AGAINST EVERY SPANISH PERSON!

And even though you won't believe me, I do not support the PP!

scampicat

This is extremely interesting and nice to hear it from a Spanish person's point of view.

Can I just say, however, that I have never thought that ETA are not terrorists? As you say, they are equivalent to the IRA. Most Irish people are not terrorists, same as most Basque people are not, but the IRA and ETA can and do perform terrorist acts.

However, on this occasion the terrorists were not of ETA origin, and the Government knew this.

jackytoo

The Bank of Spain had to step in yesterday and rescue Banco de Valencía, not a very good start for his first day of Presidency. Bet they delayed it until after the election.

jimenato

evamar - I obviously can't speak for all British people but I'm fairly sure that the vast majority would probably agree with your views on ETA. Do you think otherwise for some reason?

scampicat

Most British people I know, also, would agree with evamar's views.

Dick Dasterdly

Very true, I find it hard to believe that she should think otherwise.

scampicat

Me too.

agoreira

Agree, I can't say I have met anyone that has sympathy with ETA, quite the contrary. Even if people did think they were oppressed, I'm sure any sympathies would be swiftly forgotten when you see them happily killing innocent people, including women and children, to attempt to further their cause.

Rosemary

Thinking about it Evamar from where do you obtain the idea that British people believe that the Basque people are oppressed, offhand I cannot think of anyone with that opinion and I am quite sure that most would ally the morals of ETA with the IRA.

Graham

Domino

The IRA aren't oppressed so why should the Basques feel they are "brothers in arms" ?

Alot of people I have met feel they are oppressed by the IRA, not allowed to enter "Their Streets", whilst proclaiming their innocence to horrendous slaughter.

I found it weird driving through Belfast with Sinn Fein (IRA political wing) posters on lamp posts as it was election time.
on the way to the airport my taxi driver asked me how I had liked being there, he wanted me to know that life wasnt as bad as it was made out to be on the mainland.
I had just spent 4 nights in a street facing hotel room in the most bombed hotel in Europe.

Lenox

The IRA purported to represent the Catholics in Northern Ireland, who felt (feel?) that their territory should unite with the South - that it was 'occupied' by a foreign power. Not so different from that sector of the Basque population that wants independence free from the 'occupying power' of Spain.
If I came from either, I would try and leave as soon as I could.
Mariano Rajoy says he will talk to all the different parties in the new Parliament - except the radical Basque Amaiur party, a kind of Sinn Fein, which got seven seats.

agoreira

Reading the paper today I see a female member of ETA, imprisoned for the death of 23 people has said she's sorry, so ETA have kicked her out of the organisation!
http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/1229...expulsada/eta/

Domino

I have the belief that we need to put a barbed wire round Ireland, throw in guns etc and when someone comes to the gate and says "let me out I am the winner" we should shoot them.
Perhaps Spain could do the same with the Basques.

We cannot keep on with all these local areas demanding this and that. Would NI have been any better off if it was part of Eire?
Would the Basques be any better off without the support of the Spanish exchequer.
Would Scotland be any better off without the British exchequer?

IMO the answer is No in the same way as France wouldnt be better off it went back 1000 years to the days when it was made up of dukedoms, nor Italy if they should go back a couple of hundred years to their dukedoms