Trial against pro-amnesty Basque organization starts in Spain

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Trial against Basque pro-amnesty organizations. Photo: EFE

A trial against 27 members of pro-amnesty Basque organizations started on Monday in Spain's High Court.

The 27 people, members of the Basque left-wing organizations Gestoras Pro Amnistía, Askatasuna, Behatokia and Senideak, are suspected of aiding the armed Basque group ETA through a network of social and political organizations.

On Monday, all of them refused to answer questions by the Spanish public prosecutor.

The case stemmed from an eight-year inquiry by Baltasar Garzon, Spain's leading anti-terror investigator. Garzon alleged that ETA was not just made up of armed commandos but also had support through political, financial and media organizations. The defendants were accused of belonging to these groups, some of which have been outlawed.

The organizations engaged in activities ranging from giving support to ETA members in prison and helping ETA find new targets to recruiting new members and gathering worthy data from the summaries, Garzon has charged.