They capture Josu Ternera, the historic leader of ETA who had fled for 17 years

Josu Ternera, a historic leader of the Basque separatist group ETA, was arrested Thursday in the French Alps, after escaping for 17 years.

Ternera, whose real name is José Antonio Urrutikoetxea, was arrested in Sallanches as part of a joint operation between France and Spain.

He is accused of several murders committed by the Basque separatist group, which has been conducting a violent campaign for more than 40 years for the independence of the Basque Country.

ETA killed more than 800 people during this period, before declaring a ceasefire in 2011. Then, in 2018, the group, through a press release from Ternera, has announced its dissolution.

Venera was a fugitive since 2002, while, while she was a legislator in the Basque regional parliament, the Spanish Supreme Court issued an international arrest warrant against him for his alleged involvement in an attack in 1987 during of which 11 people died.

The court sentenced him to appear before a judge in November 2002, but never appeared. At that time, an international arrest warrant had been issued and Interpol had included it among the most wanted fugitives.

Before, between 1989 and 2000, Ternera was in French and Spanish prisons for his activity with ETA.

However, he should be jailed in France, where he was sentenced in absentia to eight years in jail in June last year "for leading a terrorist group".

ETA, which began its violent campaign in 1968 during Francisco Franco's military regime, is considered a terrorist organization by the European Union.