They arrested in France the former political leader of ETA, Josu Ternera, after 17 years of flight

The former political leader of ETA José Antonio Urrutikoetxea Bengoetxea, better known as Josu VealHe was arrested Thursday in France, announced the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.

The arrest of one of the historic leaders of the armed Basque separatist organization, dissolved a year ago, was registered "in the early hours of today in the city of Sallanches in the French Alps", the specified ministry.

During the 40 years of violence for the independence of the Basque Country and Navarre, ETA killed more than 800 people before leaving the armed struggle in 2011.

Former Basque regional deputy and having great influence within the group, Josu Ternera had been on the run since 2002.

Spanish justice considers him responsible for a 1987 bomb attack in the barracks of the Zaragoza Civil Guard (north-east), which left 11 dead, including several children.

In May 2018, Calf, apparently seriously ill, was responsible for the registration of the "final declaration" in which the group announced its dissolution.

Before that was part of the negotiations with the Spanish Socialist Government during a truce in 2006 but it was later put aside so that the members of the hardest line of the organization could take control.

(With information from AFP)