Seven suspected Eta members arrested

Spanish police said today that they have arrested seven suspected members of the armed Basque group ETA, maintaining pressure on the organisation despite its recent ceasefire announcement.

The Interior Ministry said the seven maintained ties with subversive groups abroad and carried out public relations for ETA in Latin America and some European countries.

The arrests were made in the northern Basque and Navarra regions of Spain.

ETA announced a ceasefire on September 5 but the government has dismissed it as meaningless because the group has not renounced violence.

Spanish police have arrested several suspected members since the truce announcement.

ETA has killed more than 825 people in its campaign for an independent Basque state in northern Spain and south-western France.