Spanish government officials say a series of bombs planted by the separatist Basque group ETA this month represents the death rattle of the group.
"ETA is in its terminal phase," Fernando Reinares, senior antiterrorism adviser at the Interior Ministry told the International Herald Tribune. "We know that terminal phases often produce rivalries and fragmentation that can lead to spectacular attacks."
The newspaper said there is widespread agreement in the central government in Madrid and in the regional government in the Basque region that ETA is closer to extinction than at any point in its history.
ETA exploded 12 bombs in eight Spanish cities this month, causing slight injuries to several people and some minor property damage. Telephone calls made in the name of ETA warned of the bombs in advance, suggesting they were not intended to inflict heavy casualties.
The group, which seeks to establish an independent Basque state encompassing sections of northern Spain and southern France, has killed more than 800 people, including nearly 350 civilians, since 1968.
© Copyright 2004 by United Press International
