Police swoop on suspected Basque terrorists

Published on 30/06/2012 02:10

Two suspected Basque terrorists have been arrested by armed police in London.

Antonio Troitino Arranz and Ignacio Leron Sanchez, described by the Spanish interior ministry as senior members of ETA, are being held in connection with alleged terrorist offences in Spain.

Both men were held under the Extradition Act after being arrested at a residential address in Hounslow, west London, at about 4am yesterday, police said.

Arranz, 55, and Sanchez, 39, were arrested by officers from Scotland Yard’s counter terrorism command, supported by armed police and officers from the force’s extradition unit.

The Spanish interior ministry said that both men were wanted in connection with a series of terrorist acts in Spain.

Searches at two addresses in west London also took place. Police said the arrests were not linked to the Olympics.

A 38-year-old woman was also arrested for alleged fraud offences and two other men were held over alleged immigration offences.

The arrests come after a suspected Basque terrorist lost his application to appeal to the Supreme Court against extradition to Spain, where he is accused of the attempted assassination of the king.

Lawyers for Eneko Arronategui, 44, argued that his case raised questions of law of public importance that should be considered by the highest court in the land.

But the High Court in London rejected the submission on Wednesday and refused permission for a last-ditch appeal to the Supreme Court.

Last month, the High Court overturned a magistrates’ court decision that had blocked Arronategui being extradited on the specific charge of attempting to kill King Juan Carlos in 1997.

ETA has waged a bloody campaign for independence for the seven regions in northern Spain and south-west France.