Josu Ternera, a former leader of the Basque Homeland and Liberty (ETA) separatist group, left a French jail on Thursday and was placed under house arrest, the media reported
MADRID (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th July, 2020) Josu Ternera, a former leader of the Basque Homeland and Liberty (ETA) separatist group, left a French jail on Thursday and was placed under house arrest, the media reported.
The 69-years-old Ternera, whose real name is Jose Antonio Urrutikoetxea Bengoetxea, has been hiding from Spanish authorities since 2002 and was arrested in the French Alps last year. Ternera, who used to be a top figure in the ETA and was classified as a terrorist by Spain and several other countries, is suffering from cancer, and his lawyers have been arguing that he should be freed amid increased health risks in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Spain has demanded Ternera's extradition over multiple crimes, including the 1987 attack on police barracks in the city of Zaragoza that killed 11 people, including five children. In France, Ternera was convicted in absentia in 2010 on charges of being related to terrorists and received a new eight-year term in 2017, again in absentia, for participating in a terrorist organization.
According to the EFE news agency, the former ETA leader left the French jail while being accompanied by his lawyers and was met by his supporters and family members. One of Ternera's sons said that his father's transition from jail to house arrest calls Spain's extradition request into question and paves the way towards settling issues of other Basque prisoners.
While under house arrest, Ternera will live in downtown Paris and will have to wear an electronic bracelet. The house arrest regime will last for six months, and the ex-ETA leader will be required to appear in court to give testimonies, as two criminal proceedings against Ternera in France are currently ongoing.
The ETA was founded in 1959 with the goal of creating an independent state, based on Spain's Basque Country and the Basque-speaking regions of southern France, through terrorism against the Spanish authorities, becoming notorious for its use of explosive devices. In 2018, the organization dissolved itself, terminating all of its activities. Ternera headed the organization from 1977 to 1992.
