Terrorist ETA No. 1 arrested after 25 y search

Basque terrorist ETA number one arrested in France
By h.b. - May 21, 2008 - 1:18 AM

A joint operation between Spanish and French security forces has resulted in the arrest of four top ETA activists overnight.
The man considered to be the ETA number one has been arrested in France in a joint operation between the French Gendarmerie and the Spanish Guardia Civil. The man known as Thierry, real name, Francisco Javier López Peña, has been searched for by the security forces since 1983.

It seems the operation was successful thanks to the activities of the French secret service and resulted in the arrest of three other ETA activists, Jon Salaberria, Igor Suberbiola and Ainhoa Ozaeta Mendiondo. All four who were arrested overnight in Bordeaux were armed at the time of their detention, but offered no resistance, according to anti-terrorist sources.

Reports indicate the four were in an apartment close to the train station in the centre of the town.

The El Mundo newspaper claimed in May last year that it was Salaberria and Ozaeta who met with the Government a month before. Both of them were members of the HB party and also considered to be high ranking members of ETA.