Spain arrests seven people linked to Basque left-wing group Askapena

Spanish National Police made at least seven arrests at dawn on Tuesday morning in various areas all around the Basque Country and Navarre, as part of an operation against Askapena, a group considered as the foreign propaganda branch of the banned group Batasuna, antiterrorist sources confirmed.

The operation, which began as dawn broke on Tuesday 24th November, is being directed by Spanish High Court Judge Fernando Pablo Ruz, who replaced Baltasar Garzon on Spain''s High Court.

So far, arrests have been made in Barakaldo and Getxo (Bizkaia); Irun, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Pamplona/Iruña and Arruazu.

According to the Spanish Government, Askapena is one of many groups considered a part of the network of the armed Basque group ETA.