The Government has advised people travelling to Spain to be extra vigilant after the renewed threat by the Basque group ETA that it will target tourist areas as part of its war for independence.
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This morning a bomb destroyed a bank in the centre of Barcelona, injuring at least three people. No one immediately claimed responsibility, but police generally attribute such bombings to the Basque separatist organisation.
The Barcelona explosion was in a branch of the Caixa Bank opposite the offices of La Vanguardianewspaper and near the Las Ramblas nightclub district of the town in northeast Spain.
The blast came hours after bomb-disposal experts defused a car bomb at Malaga international airport on the tourist-crammed Costa del Sol following a warning call from ETA.
Cautioning those travelling to Spain to be extra vigilant, the Department of Foreign Affairs advised people to pay attention to media reports and stay in touch with developments through their travel agents.
"But the Department is not advising people against travelling," a spokesman told ireland.com.
Yesterday ETA also claimed responsibility for 15 attacks since the start of March, which killed five people.
ETA, which has been fighting for an independent homeland in the Spanish Basque country for more than 30 years, has been blamed for the murders of 11 people since the beginning of the year and 800 deaths since the start of its campaign.
Additional reporting AFP