VZCZCXRO2411
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHMD #0798 2031554
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211554Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5118
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 3504

UNCLAS MADRID 000798 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE, 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER ASEC SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN INVESTIGATES FIVE BOMBS CLAIMED BY ETA THAT 
EXPLODED JULY 20 
 
¶1.  Five small bombs exploded in Northern Spain on July 20, 
four at popular resorts in Cantabria and one in Getxo, a 
Bilbao suburb.  The sites included a Red Cross life-saving 
station, an ATM, seaside promenades and other tourist areas. 
According to the press, one woman was slightly injured when 
she was hit by a rock sent flying by an explosion near a golf 
course and a pregnant woman was treated for shock.  A caller 
claiming to represent ETA (Euskadi ta Askatasuna or Basque 
Country and Freedom) phoned in advance to warn of the 
impending explosions. 
 
¶2.   Traditionally, terrorist organization ETA has not 
hesitated to carry out attacks during the busy summer holiday 
season.  These attacks do not indicate an up-tick in 
activity, but rather more of the same type of low intensity 
attacks that characterize ETA's terrorist campaign over the 
long term. Other underlying factoQ include ETA's frustration 
that negotiations with the Zapatero government are not moving 
forward.  ETA also seeks to put pressure on the Basque 
Nationalist Party (PNV) since they don't want to see Basque 
Lehkendari Ibarretxe or other political leaders get credit 
for pushing a referendum leading to more power for the 
autonomous community.   Usually, ETA seeks to avoid civilian 
casualties and calls in advance to give warning of attacks 
against civilian targets, as was the case in the July 20 
attacks.   ETA last claimed responsibility for a May 14 bomb 
that exploded without warning at a Civil Guard barracks in 
Legutiano that killed one police officer and injured four 
others. 
 
¶3.  President Zapatero has ruled out further peace talks and 
says that the terrorists only option is a unilateral 
surrender.  Interior Minister Rubalcaba said, in warning, 
"joining ETA is the surest path to a long jail sentence." 
Aguirre