The two most senior members of banned Basque separatist party Batasuna still at liberty were arrested today, a separatist newspaper reported.
Batasuna spokesman Pernando Barrena and national council member Patxi Urrutia were both arrested on orders of High Court Judge Baltasar Garzon, according to Gara, a pro-Batasuna newspaper.
Court officials confirmed arrest warrants had been issued for the men for alleged links with Eta, which has been fighting for independence for the Basque country for four decades.
The arrests came as Judge Garzon prepares an expected ban on two other small Basque Country parties, ANV and PCTV, ahead of general elections on March 9th.
Investigators believe they have taken over from Batasuna as Eta's political wing.
Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who was heavily criticised by the conservative opposition for failed peace talks with Eta, has pledged to maintain pressure on the banned separatists unless they give up their armed fight.
Eta has killed more than 800 people, including two undercover Spanish policemen on a mission in southern France last December.