Basque separatist group ETA declared a ceasefire on Sunday in its bloody 42-year campaign for a homeland independent of Spain, vowing to give up guns and bombs to seek a democratic solution.| Guess that the Frenchies arresting their leaders a few months back was the straw that broke their backs. Old, lame, irrelevant and on the run. |
ETA made the announcement in a video sent to the BBC and pro-independence Basque daily Gara, showing three people in berets and yellow hoods sitting at a table flanked by Basque flags and an ETA symbol on the wall behind.
In the video, three figures were shown dressed in black, their faces covered with white cloths with holes cut out for their eyes. They were seated at a table under the emblem of the separatist group and next to the Basque flag, and the central figure made a statement in the Basque language. "ETA makes it known that for several months now it has taken the decision not to carry out armed attacks," said a transcript of the statement, translated into Spanish, also posted on the Gara website.