OMEN
06-30-2006, 10:43 PM
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41785000/jpg/_41785394_accused203afp.jpg
Prosecutors won 50-year jail terms for the accused pair
A Spanish court has sentenced two members of Basque separatist group Eta to 50 years in jail for the kidnap and murder of a local councillor.
Javier Garcia Gaztellu and his girlfriend Irantxu Gallastegi have always denied seizing Miguel Angel Blanco and shooting him in 1997.
The killing was credited with turning Spanish public opinion against Eta.
The verdict came a day after Spain's prime minister said he was ready to open talks with the group.
Eta declared a permanent ceasefire in March, ending an armed campaign which lasted for decades.
But the BBC's Danny Wood, in Madrid, says arrogant and unrepentant behaviour by the accused has added to concerns about Jose Luis Zapatero's decision to launch a dialogue with Eta.
Angry scenes
The high-profile trial sparked emotional scenes inside and outside the high court in Madrid.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41832000/jpg/_41832840_ap_blanco203.jpg
Miguel Angel Blanco's killing led to mass protests around Spain
There were protests outside the court and frequent disruptions within the chamber.
Relatives of the victim shouted abuse at the defendants, while the couple remained defiant and refused to answer questions.
Nevertheless, the pair were handed lengthy sentences.
Gaztellu, 40, and Gallastegi, 33, were also ordered to stay away from the northern town of Ermua, where Blanco served as a councillor, for five years after their eventual release.
Executed
Mr Blanco, 29, was a member of Spain's then-ruling Popular Party at the time of his kidnap on 10 July 1997.
Eta demanded that its prisoners held in jails all over Spain be returned to the Basque region, but the demand was rejected.
Two days later, Mr Blanco was found shot twice in the head and died in later in hospital.
Eta has been blamed for killing more than 800 people in its fight for independence for the Basque region of northern Spain and south-west France.
BBC
Prosecutors won 50-year jail terms for the accused pair
A Spanish court has sentenced two members of Basque separatist group Eta to 50 years in jail for the kidnap and murder of a local councillor.
Javier Garcia Gaztellu and his girlfriend Irantxu Gallastegi have always denied seizing Miguel Angel Blanco and shooting him in 1997.
The killing was credited with turning Spanish public opinion against Eta.
The verdict came a day after Spain's prime minister said he was ready to open talks with the group.
Eta declared a permanent ceasefire in March, ending an armed campaign which lasted for decades.
But the BBC's Danny Wood, in Madrid, says arrogant and unrepentant behaviour by the accused has added to concerns about Jose Luis Zapatero's decision to launch a dialogue with Eta.
Angry scenes
The high-profile trial sparked emotional scenes inside and outside the high court in Madrid.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41832000/jpg/_41832840_ap_blanco203.jpg
Miguel Angel Blanco's killing led to mass protests around Spain
There were protests outside the court and frequent disruptions within the chamber.
Relatives of the victim shouted abuse at the defendants, while the couple remained defiant and refused to answer questions.
Nevertheless, the pair were handed lengthy sentences.
Gaztellu, 40, and Gallastegi, 33, were also ordered to stay away from the northern town of Ermua, where Blanco served as a councillor, for five years after their eventual release.
Executed
Mr Blanco, 29, was a member of Spain's then-ruling Popular Party at the time of his kidnap on 10 July 1997.
Eta demanded that its prisoners held in jails all over Spain be returned to the Basque region, but the demand was rejected.
Two days later, Mr Blanco was found shot twice in the head and died in later in hospital.
Eta has been blamed for killing more than 800 people in its fight for independence for the Basque region of northern Spain and south-west France.
BBC