ETA-type bomb attempt foiled

Bilbao - Police in Spain's Basque region yesterday blew up a local politician's car after a bomb was found attached to its underside…

Bilbao - Police in Spain's Basque region yesterday blew up a local politician's car after a bomb was found attached to its underside in the latest attack blamed on the Basque separatist group ETA.

ETA has carried out a series of strikes throughout Spain this month in what authorities have called a show of force in the group's violent campaign for an independent homeland.

Attaching bombs to cars is a common ETA tactic, and yesterday's discovery marks the second time this month such an attempt on a local politician's life has been foiled.

The car belonged to Mr Agustin Ramos Vallejo (56) a city councillor for Spain's ruling Popular Party in the Basque town, Abadino. His car previously had been set on fire three times by suspected youth sympathisers of ETA, police said.