ETA group claims killing of Spanish judge

Basque separatist group ETA claimed responsibility today for last week's fatal shooting of a judge in northern Spain.

Basque separatist group ETA claimed responsibility today for last week's fatal shooting of a judge in northern Spain.

It also said it had planted a Madrid car bomb that wounded over 90 people.

"The killing of Judge Jose Maria Lidon was an attack against the Spanish judicial system, another instrument of aggression used to punish Basque citizens and absolve those who oppress the Basque homeland," ETA said in a statement given to the Basque language newspaper Gara.

"Spanish judges who punish Basque soldiers have no impunity in the Basque homeland," it warned.

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The separatist group said it regretted causing injuries to various citizens in the Madrid car bomb attack.

Moderate nationalist and non-nationalist politicians condemned the killing of the judge at the time, saying ETA would never reach its goals through acts of violence.

Thousands took to the street in protest at the killing last week and Mr Lidon's judicial colleagues held an all-night vigil by his coffin.

ETA has killed more than 800 people in a campaign for a separate Basque state that has lasted over 30 years.