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ETA's announcement

Interior Minister says Spain can not trust ETA's announcement

AP

Madrid

09/06/2010

Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said that ETA's announcement is "insufficient" and that Spain will continue to pursue members of the armed group.

Spain''s interior minister is dismissing an announcement ''to no longer employ offensive armed actions'' by the armed Basque group ETA and says police will be as tough as ever against the armed militants.

Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba says the statement Sunday falls way short of what Basque society and Spaniards in general demand from ETA, which is that it renounce violence for good.

The minister told Spanish National Television Monday he is convinced that despite ETA''s stated halt to attacks it will continue other illegal activities like trying to amass weapons.

Perez Rubalcaba said ETA is calling a truce because it is so weak it cannot stage attacks. Its last deadly attack in Spain was in July of last year, when it killed two policemen with a car bomb. Nearly 240 members have been arrested since 2008.