Police detain ETA suspect linked with attempt to shoot down plane

Mar 8, 2011, 16:40 GMT

Madrid - French and Spanish police on Tuesday captured a suspected member of the armed Basque separatist group ETA, who is charged with involvement in a failed attempt to shoot down a plane carrying then-Spanish premier Jose Maria Aznar in 2001.

Police sources said Gregorio Jimenez Morales alias Pistolas was arrested at a house in Bidache, south-western France.

Jimenez is suspected of having helped to transport from France to Spain a missile launcher that ETA was planning to use to fire Russian-made SAM-7 missiles on a plane carrying Aznar.

ETA attempted to use the launcher three times in the Basque region, where Aznar was attending electoral rallies. Every time, however, the launcher failed to function.

ETA had already made a failed attempt to kill Aznar in 1995 when he was opposition leader. Aznar headed conservative governments from 1996 to 2004.

Jimenez has already served several prison sentences for terrorism- related crimes.

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