ETA Members Sentenced to Over 74 Years for Attempted Terrorist Attack on Journalists
The National Court of Spain has sentenced four members of the Basque separatist group ETA to a total of 74 years and 4 months in prison for their involvement in a failed bombing incident in the year 2000 that targeted journalist couple Aurora Intxausti and Juan Palomo. At the time of the attack, their one-and-a-half-year-old child was also present in the home.
According to a ruling reported by Europa Press, the Criminal Chamber sentenced each of the defendants to three counts of attempted murder, with sentences of 19 years and 10 months for each count, and an additional 14 years and 10 months for one count of attempted destruction. Furthermore, the court has prohibited the four ETA members, who acknowledged their involvement during the trial, from approaching the victims or their workplaces for a period of five years after their prison sentence is completed. They are also prohibited from any form of communication with the victims.
The court's ruling emphasized the profound psychological harm inflicted upon the victims, who were violently attacked in their own home. The judges noted the “well-founded fear” experienced by the victims of further attacks, which led them to abandon their home and disrupt their lives fundamentally. Following the incident, the journalists changed cities, left their jobs, and distanced themselves from family and friends. The couple testified that their lives were irreparably altered, stating, "It changed all our relationships. And it marked our whole life."
On the day of the attack, November 10, 2000, Juan Palomo opened his door only to hear an explosion, described as similar to that of a firecracker. He quickly instructed his wife and child to return inside the house, positioning themselves far from the explosion site. The bomb, a device containing two and a half kilograms of dynamite packed with screws as shrapnel, was intended to detonate upon opening the door but failed to do so due to a malfunction in the connection.
The court found sufficient evidence to conclude that the bomb was strategically placed by ETA’s comando Gaua, with intent to kill the journalists. The judges highlighted that the treachery involved in the attack was evident, given the calculated manner in which the explosive was designed to ensure fatal injury to the victims, who had no chance of defense.
The ruling indicated that although the bomb did not detonate for reasons beyond the defendants' control, the planning and resources they utilized categorically demonstrated their intent to harm. Not only did the convicted individuals confess during the trial, but intelligence reports also corroborated their guilt in the attack.
This ruling marks a significant moment in the ongoing response to ETA's history of violence and terrorism in Spain, reflecting the systemic efforts towards ensuring justice for victims of such attacks.
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