French police arrest two suspected ETA members

01/06/2006 - 17:40:40
French police said they arrested two alleged members of the Basque separatist group ETA, at least one of them armed, after they drove through a police stop today.

Police did not identify the men but said they were known and wanted ETA members.

Police alleged that the suspects, driving a small van, hit a police car and tried to knock over an officer as they fled from a traffic control in the south-western city of Bordeaux.

They were later stopped after they crashed into another vehicle, police said.

France and Spain cooperate closely against ETA, which has killed more than 800 people in Spain since the late 1960s in its drive for an independent Basque homeland.

ETA declared a ceasefire in March.