Separatists bomb two Spanish seaside resorts

Basque separatists have claimed responsibility for four bomb blasts at two seaside resorts in the north of Spain on Sunday, according to regional police. This marks a new offensive launched against tourism locales by the group known as ETA.

Two of the bombs damaged a seafront promenade at the beach resort of Laredo, damaging the a lifeguard cabin and the walkway, and the other two exploded at a golf course and in sand dunes at the resort of Noja, about 30kms away, according to a spokesman for the police.

One woman sustained slight injuries when she was hit by debris from the explosion at the Noja golf course. An official of the local government reported that she was treated at a hospital and then released.

A pregnant woman was having lunch not far from the golf course, and had to be treated for shock.

Beaches at Loredo and Noja, which are situated approximately halfway between Bilbao and Santander, are usually packed with tourists during the summer, but Sunday’s cloudy and drizzly conditions kept many people away.

Earlier on Sunday a smaller bomb went off in front of a Barclays bank in Getxo, a Bilbao suburb, breaking windows and damaging an automated teller machine, according to the town’s mayor. He blamed the incident on Basque separatists.

It is estimated that the group ETA has been responsible for the deaths of more than 820 people in its campaign for Basque independence over the last 40 years.

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