Pre-Crisis Phase (July 31, 1959-June 6, 1968): The Basque Nation and Liberty (Euzkadi Ta Azkatasuna – ETA) was established to promote Basque self-determination in the Basque region of northern Spain on July 31, 1959. Following the death of the president of the Basque region, José Antonio Aguirre, in Paris on March 22, 1960, Jesús María de Leizaola Sánchez was named as president of the Basque government-in-exile on March 28, 1960. ETA militants attempted to derail a train carrying supporters of General Francisco Franco to San Sebastián on July 18, 1961.
Crisis Phase (June 7, 1968-September 18, 1998): ETA militants clashed with government policemen near the town of Tolosa on June 7, 1968, resulting in the deaths of one ETA military and one government policeman. ETA militants killed a government police chief, Meliton Manzanas Gonzales, in San Sebastián on August 2, 1968. The Spanish government declared a state-of-emergency in Guipuzcoa province on August 5, 1968. The Spanish government declared a nationwide state-of-emergency on January 24, 1969. The Spanish government declared a state-of-emergency in Guipuzcoa province on December 4, 1970, and declared a nationwide state-of-emergency on December 14, 1970. On December 28, 1970, a military tribunal sentenced six members of the ETA to death for murdering a government policeman in 1968. The World Council of Churches (WCC) condemned the Spanish government for the death sentences against the ETA members on December 28, 1970. General Francisco Franco commuted the death sentences to 30 years in prison on December 30, 1970. The Spanish government lifted the state-of-emergency in Guipuzcoa province on February 5, 1971, but the nationwide state-of-emergency remained in effect until June 15, 1971. ETA militants killed a government policeman in Galdakao on August 29, 1972. Eustaquio Mendizabal, head of the military wing of the ETA, died from injuries suffered in a gun battle with government police near Bilboa on April 20, 1973. Prime Minister Luis Carrero Blanco, as well as his bodyguard and driver, was killed by ETA militants in Madrid on December 20, 1973. ETA militants exploded a bomb near the headquarters of the National Security Police in Madrid on September 13, 1974, resulting in the deaths of 13 individuals. ETA militants killed one government policeman in San Sebastián on March 30, 1975. ETA militants killed one government policeman in Algorta on April 22, 1975. Government police and ETA militants clashed in San Sebastián on April 24, 1975, resulting in the death of one ETA militant. The Spanish government declared a state-of-emergency in the provinces of Guipuzcoa and Vizcaya on April 25, 1975. ETA militants killed a government policeman in Guernica on May 6, 1975. Government police and ETA militants clashed in Guernica on May 14, 1975, resulting in the deaths of three ETA militants and one government policeman. On August 29, 1975, two ETA militants were sentenced to death for murdering a government policeman. The Spanish government lifted the state-of-emergency in the provinces of Guipuzcoa and Vizcaya on July 26, 1975. Government police killed two ETA militants in Madrid and Barcelona on September 18, 1975. On September 19, 1975, one ETA militant was sentenced to death for murdering a government policeman in Barcelona. The Spanish government executed two ETA militants on September 27, 1975. The governments of Britain, Italy, and the Vatican condemned the Spanish government for the executions on September 27, 1975. Prime Minister Olaf Palme of Sweden condemned the Spanish government for the executions on September 28, 1975. The government of Mexico referred the matter to the United Nations Security Council on September 29, 1975, but the UN Security Council decide not to deal with the matter on September 30, 1975. The government of East Germany imposed diplomatic sanctions (severance of diplomatic relations) against the Spanish government on October 3, 1975. Three government policemen were killed in an ETA bombing near San Sebastián on October 5, 1975. ETA militants killed one government policeman in the town of Zarauz on October 18, 1975. ETA militants killed the mayor of Gipuzkoa on November 24, 1975. ETA militants killed Juan Maria De Araluce, president of the provincial assembly of Gipuzkoa, along with his driver and three government policemen in San Sebastián on October 4, 1976. The Basque Party for Revolution (Euskal Iraultzarako Alderia – EIA), later renamed the Basque Country Left (Euskadiko Ezkerra – EE), was established as a political party by Basque nationalists in 1977. ETA militants killed Augusto Guillermo Unceta Barrenechea, president of the provincial assembly of Vizcaya, along with two government policemen, on October 8, 1977. ETA militants killed two government policemen in Vitoria on March 5, 1978. The Popular Unity (Herri Batasuna – HB) party was established as a political party by Basque nationalists in April 1978. ETA militants killed two government policemen in the town of Pamplona on May 8, 1978. ETA militants killed one government policeman in San Sebastián on May 9, 1978. ETA militants killed two government soldiers in Madrid on July 21, 1978. ETA militants killed two government policemen in San Sebastián on September 25, 1978. ETA militants ambushed and killed three government policemen in Getxo on October 22, 1978. ETA militants killed three government policemen in San Sebastián on December 5, 1978. ETA militants killed Major Jose Maria Herrera, adjutant to the military governor of Guipuzcoa province, in San Sebastián on January 2, 1979. ETA militants killed Major-General Constantino Ortin Gil, military governor of Madrid, on January 3, 1979. ETA militants killed 26 individuals, including eight government policemen, between January 5, 1979 and April 9, 1979. Carlos Garaikoetxea Urriza of the Basque National Party (Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea – EAJ) was elected president of the Basque region by the regional legislature, and he was sworn in as president on May 2, 1979. ETA militants attacked and killed four individuals in Bilbao and San Sebastián on July 27, 1979. ETA militants killed seven individuals in bombings in Barajas, Atocha, and Chamartin on July 28, 1979. ETA militants killed two government soldiers in Bilbao on September 19, 1979. ETA militants killed the military governor of Guipuzcoa, Brigadier-General Lorenzo Gonzalez-Valles Sanchez, in San Sebastián on September 23, 1979. Regional autonomy for the provinces of Alava, Guipuzcoa, and Vizcaya provinces was approved in a referendum on October 25, 1979. ETA militants attacked a convoy of government policemen and workers near the town of Ispaster on February 1, 1980, resulting in the deaths of six government policemen and two ETA militants. Regional legislative elections were held in the Basque autonomous region on March 9, 1980, and the EAJ won 25 out of 60 seats in the regional legislature. The HB won eleven seats in the legislature. Some 93 individuals, including eight ETA militants, were killed in political violence in 1980. ETA militants clashed with government police in Orio on July 13, 1980, resulting in the deaths of two government policemen and two ETA militants. ETA militants killed four government policemen in the town of Markina on September 20, 1980. ETA militants killed five government policemen in the town of Zarautz on November 3, 1980. The government of France expressed its support for the Spanish government on July 29, 1981. ETA militants ambushed and killed four government policemen near the town of Rentería on September 14, 1982. Regional legislative elections were held in the Basque autonomous region on February 26, 1984, and the EAJ won 32 out of 75 seats in the regional legislature. The Socialist Party of the Basque Country – Basque Country Left (Euskadiko Alderdi Sozialista – Euskadiko Ezkerra – EAS-EE) won 19 seats in the regional legislature. José Antonio Ardanza Garro of the EAJ was elected president by the regional legislature, and he was sworn in as president on March 2, 1985. ETA militants killed twelve government policemen in a bombing in Madrid on July 14, 1986. Regional legislative elections were held in the Basque autonomous region on November 30, 1986, and the EAS-EE won 19 out of 75 seats in the regional legislature. The EAJ won 17 seats in the regional legislature. Representatives of the Spanish government and ETA began negotiations in Algeria in January 1987. ETA militants killed 21 individuals in a department store bombing in Barcelona on June 19, 1987. ETA militants attacked a military barracks in Zaragossa on December 11, 1987, resulting in the deaths of eleven individuals. The ETA offered the Spanish government a three-month truce on January 28, 1989. ETA militants killed two government policemen in Madrid on May 8, 1989. ETA militants killed three government policemen in Bilboa on May 24, 1989. ETA militants killed two government soldiers in Madrid on July 19, 1989. ETA militants killed one government soldier in Madrid on November 17, 1989. Government police killed two ETA militants near the French border on September 17, 1989. Regional legislative elections were held in the Basque autonomous region on October 28, 1990, and the EAJ won 22 out of 75 seats in the regional legislature. The EAS-EE won 16 seats in the regional legislature. Government policemen killed one ETA militant in Pamplona on September 18, 1990. ETA militants killed six government policemen in Sabadell on December 8, 1990. ETA militants killed one government policeman in Amorebietta on December 14, 1990. Ten individuals were killed in an ETA bombing near Barcelona on May 29, 1991. Government police killed three ETA militants in San Sebastián on August 17, 1991. Six government soldiers were killed in an ETA car bombing in Madrid on June 21, 1993. Regional legislative elections were held in the Basque autonomous region on October 23, 1994, and the EAJ won 22 out of 75 seats in the regional legislature. The EAS-EE won 12 seats in the regional legislature. One individual was killed in an ETA car bombing in Madrid on April 19, 1995. Six individuals were killed in an ETA car bombing in Madrid on December 11, 1995. ETA militants kidnapped, and later killed, Miguel Angel Blanco, a local government official, in Ermua on July 10, 1997. Jose Luis Caso, a local government official from the People’s Party (Partido Popular – PP), was assassinated by ETA militants in the town of Irun on December 11, 1997. On December 12, 1997, Leni Fischer, president of the Council of Europe (COE) Parliamentary Assembly, condemned the ETA for the assassination of Jose Luis Caso. ETA militants killed a town councillor, Jose Ignacio Irureta Goiena of the PP, in the town of Zarauz on January 9, 1998. ETA militants killed city councillor, Alberto Jimenez Becerril of the PP, and his wife in Seville on January 30, 1998. ETA militants killed a retired government police officer in the town of Vitoria on May 9, 1998. A local government official, Manuel Zamarreno of the PP, was assassinated by ETA militants in the town of Renteria on June 26, 1998. The ETA declared a unilateral cessation of political violence on September 18, 1998. Some 800 individuals were killed during the crisis.
Post-Crisis Phase (September 19, 1998-December 2, 1999): Regional legislative elections were held in the Basque autonomous region on October 25, 1998, and the EAJ won 21 out of 75 seats in the regional legislature. The PP won 16 seats in the regional legislature. The regional legislature elected Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu of the EAJ as president of the region on December 30, 1998, and he was sworn in as president on January 2, 1999. Representatives of the Spanish government and ETA held negotiations beginning on June 7, 1999. The ETA suspended negotiations with the Spanish government on August 27, 1999.
Crisis Phase (December 3, 1999-March 23, 2006): The ETA ended the cessation of political violence on December 3, 1999. ETA militants killed a military officer, Lt. Colonel Pedro Antonio Blanco Garcia, in a car bombing in Madrid on January 21, 2000. Britain and France condemned the ETA on January 21, 2000. Lord Russell-Johnston, president of the COE Parliamentary Assembly, condemned the ETA bombings in Madrid on January 21, 2000. ETA militants killed two individuals, including local Socialist Party leader Fernando Buesa and a government policeman, in a car bombing in Vitoria on February 22, 2000. ETA militants killed newspaper columnist, Jose Luis de la Calle, in the town of Andaoin on May 7, 2000. ETA militants killed a city councillor, Jesus Maria Pedrosa of the PP, in Durango on June 4, 2000. ETA militants killed Jose Maria Martin Carpena, a town councilor in Malaga, on July 15, 2000. COE Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer condemned the ETA on July 17, 2000. ETA militants killed Juan Maria Jauregui, a Socialist politician, in the town of Tolosa on July 29, 2000. The Vatican City condemned the ETA on July 30, 2000. Four ETA militants were killed in an accidental explosion in Bilboa on August 7, 2000. ETA militants killed Jose Maria Korta, a Basque businessman, in San Sebastián on August 8, 2000. ETA militants killed a military officer, Second Lt. Francisco Casanova Vicente, in Pamplona on August 9, 2000. The Vatican City condemned the ETA on August 9, 2000. ETA militants killed two government police officers in the village of Sallent de Gallego on August 20, 2000. ETA militants killed a former local councillor from the PP, Manuel Indian Azaustre, in Zumarraga on August 29, 2000. ETA militants killed PP politician, Jose Luis Ruiz Casado, in Barcelona on September 21, 2000. ETA militants killed Luis Portero, chief prosecutor of the Andalusia regional court, in Granada on October 9, 2000. The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) condemned the ETA for the murder of Luis Portero on October 11, 2000. ETA militants killed a Spanish militant doctor, Lt. Colonel Antonio Munoz Carinano, in Seville on October 16, 2000. ETA militants killed a prison officer in a car bombing in Vitoria on October 22, 2000. ETA militants killed a Spanish Supreme Court judge, Francisco Querol Lombardero, along with two government policemen, in a car bombing in Madrid on October 30, 2000. The U.S. government and COE Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer condemned the ETA on October 30, 2000. ETA militants killed former Minister of Health, Ernest Lluch, in Barcelona on November 21, 2000. ETA militants killed one individual in a bombing near a military barracks in San Sebastián on January 26, 2001. ETA militants killed two individuals in car bombings in San Sebastián on February 22, 2001. Lord Russell-Johnston, president of the COE Parliamentary Assembly, condemned the ETA on February 22, 2001. ETA militants killed a government policeman in Hernani on March 9, 2001. Froilan Elespe, a municipal councilor in the town of Lasarte, was killed by ETA militants on March 20, 2001. The government of France condemned the ETA on March 21, 2001. ETA militants assassinated a local head of the PP in Zaragoza on May 6, 2001. Llibert Cuatrecasas, president of the COE Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CLRA), condemned the ETA on May 7, 2001. Regional legislative elections were held in the Basque autonomous region on May 13, 2001, and the EAJ coalition won 33 out of 75 seats in the regional legislature. The PP won 19 seats in the regional legislature. ETA militants killed a newspaper executive, Santiago Oleaga, in San Sebastián on May 24, 2001. One government policeman was killed in an ETA car bombing in Madrid on July 10, 2001. ETA militants killed a government policeman, Mikel Uribe, in the town of Leaburu and a local councillor, Jose Javier Mugica, in the town of Leiza on July 14, 2001. ETA militants killed Judge José María Lidón in the town of Vizcaya on November 7, 2001. The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) condemned the ETA on November 8, 2001. ETA militants killed two Basque regional policemen in the town of Beasain on November 23, 2001. ETA militants killed a local politician, Juan Priede Perez, in the town of Orea on March 21, 2002. ETA militants killed two individuals, including a six-year old child, in a bombing in the town of Santa Pola on August 4, 2002. Two ETA militants were killed in an accidental bomb detonation near the city of Balboa on September 23, 2002. ETA militants killed one government policeman near the town of Berastegui on September 24, 2002. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) defense ministers condemned the ETA on September 25, 2002. ETA militants killed one government policeman in the town of Collado Villalba on December 17, 2002. The HB, also known simply as Batasuna, was permanently banned by the Spanish Supreme Court on March 17, 2003. Two government policemen were killed in an ETA car bombing in the town of Sanguesa on May 30, 2003. The European Union (EU) added the Basque political party, Batasuna, to its list of terrorist organizations on June 5, 2003. ETA militants killed two government policemen in the town of Castejon on June 9, 2004. Mikel Albizu Iriarte, the suspected political leader of the ETA, was arrested in southwestern France on October 3, 2004. Regional legislative elections were held in the Basque autonomous region on April 17, 2005, and the EAJ coalition led by Juan Jose Ibarretxe won 29 out of 75 seats in the regional legislature. The EAS-EE won 18 seats in the regional legislature. The ETA declared a “permanent ceasefire” that went into effect on March 24, 2006.
Post-Crisis Phase (March 24, 2006-June 5, 2007): ETA militants detonated a car bomb in a parking garage at the international airport in Madrid on December 30, 2006, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. The Spanish government ended peace talks with the ETA on December 30, 2006. The ETA formally ended its “permanent ceasefire” on June 5, 2007.
Crisis Phase (June 6, 2007-January 9, 2011): Arnaldo Otegi, leader of the banned Basque political party Batasuna was arrested by government policemen in northern Spain on June 8, 2007. Government police arrested some 22 members of the banned Basque political party Batasuna in the town of Segura on October 5, 2007. Two Spanish policemen were killed by ETA militants in the town of Capbreton in southwestern France on December 1, 2007. ETA militants killed a Socialist Party politician and former town councillor, Isaias Carrasco, in the town of Mondragon on March 7, 2008. ETA militants killed one government policeman, Juan Manuel Pinuel-Villalon, in a car bombing in the town of Legutiano on May 14, 2008. French police arrested the suspected military commander of the ETA, Francisco Javier Lopez Pena, in Bordeaux on May 21, 2008. On June 27, 2008, the regional legislature in the Basque region voted 34 to 33 to hold a referendum on more autonomy from the Spanish government. The Spanish Supreme Court banned the Basque political party, Basque Nationalist Action (Eusko Abertzale Ekintza – EAE), on September 16, 2008. ETA militants car bombed a government police station in the town of Ondarroa on September 21, 2008, resulting in injuries to three policemen and eight civilians. One government policeman was killed in an ETA car bombing in the town of Santona on September 22, 2008. French police arrested the suspected military commander of the ETA, Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina, in southern France on November 17, 2008. ETA militants killed a construction company owner, Ignacio Uria, in Azpeitia on December 3, 2008. Regional legislative elections were held in the Basque autonomous region on March 1, 2009, and the EAJ won 30 out of 75 seats in the regional legislature. The EAS-EE led by Francisco Javier “Patxi” López Álvarez won 25 seats in the regional legislature. French police arrested the suspected military commander of the ETA, Jurdan Martitegi, in southern France on April 18, 2009. The regional legislature elected Francisco Javier “Patxi” López Álvarez of the EAS-EE as president of the region on May 5, 2009. Francisco Javier “Patxi” López Álvarez was sworn in as president of the region on May 7, 2009. ETA militants killed a government police officer, Eduardo Puelles Garcia, in a car bombing in Bilbao on June 19, 2009. ETA militants bombed a government police barracks in Burgos on July 29, 2009, resulting in injuries to 46 individuals. ETA militants killed two government police officers in the town of Palmanova on July 30, 2009. Government police arrested ten senior members of the banned political party, Batasuna, in San Sebastián on October 14, 2009. French police arrested the suspected military leader of the ETA, Mikel Kabikoitz Karrerra Sarobe, in the French town of Bayonne on May 20, 2010.
Post-Crisis Phase (January 10, 2011-present): The ETA declared a “permanent truce” with the Spanish government on January 10, 2011, but the truce was rejected by the Spanish government. French police arrested the suspected military chief of the ETA, Alejandro Zobaran Arriola, along with three other ETA militants in northern France on March 11, 2011. The U.S. government imposed economic sanctions (assets freeze) against two ETA leaders, Miguel de Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina and Jose Ignacio Reta de Frutos, on March 22, 2011. On October 20, 2011, the ETA declared a “definitive cessation” of violence in its struggle for independence from Spain. On May 16, 2012, the Spanish government rejected a request by the ETA for negotiations. Regional legislative elections were held in the Basque autonomous region on October 21, 2012, and the EAJ won 27 out of 75 seats in the regional legislature. The Basque Country Gather (Euskal Herria Bildu – EHB) won 21 seats in the regional legislature. On November 25, 2012, the ETA offered to negotiate a “definitive end” to its operations, but the Spanish government rejected the offer. Iñigo Urkullu Renteria of the EAJ was elected president by the regional legislature, and he was sworn in as president on December 15, 2012. A court in France sentenced former ETA military commander, Mikel Kabikoitz Karrerra Sarobe, to life imprisonment on April 25, 2013.
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