The Spanish government has arrested Javier Lopez Peña, the reputed leader of ETA. Peña was arrested in Bordeaux, France. How was this effected? For years ETA terrorists have been using the Basque region of France (Bordeaux is not far) as a hideout/staging area. The Sarkozy government and the Zapatero government made the arrests in a joint operation of their special forces units. No secret forays into French territory by Spanish soldiers; no tacit approval of ETA terrorists operating from French territory. French and Spanish authorities cooperated against terrorists. I don't suppose Presidents Uribe, Chavez and Correa are listening . . .
In any event, this is a major arrest and a major boost for Zapatero. The opposition has leveled a steady drumbeat of nastiness against Zapatero with the criticism, sometimes implicit, often explicit on his policy towards ETA. This should put much of those criticisms to rest. It is especially gratifying that it was Peña for this reason:
Javier Lopez Pena is seen as an uncompromising hardliner within ETA. He's allegedly responsible for pushing the organization back to a strategy of terror. According to investigators, he ordered the bomb attack on Madrid's Barajas airport in December 2006 that killed two Ecuadorians.
The airport bombing was a slap in the face to Zapatero's efforts in trying to put an end to ETA's terrorism through a truce and anticipated negotiations. He must be thrilled that the man responsible for this is behind bars.
Recent Comments