France / Basque country: nine arrests within the autonomist

BAYONNE- Nine people linked to autonomists movement were arrested Monday morning in the French Basque country in Bayonne and in several municipalities in the region, announced the Committee for the Defence of Basque prisoners Askatasuna.

•     Askatasuna had originally announced the arrest of seven people.
  
        “Several arrests” related to French or French of Spanish origin were held in Bayonne and the Basque coast Monday morning and searches are underway, confirmed a police source in Bordeaux (southwest) without further accuracy.
  
      The Sub-Directorate Anti-Terrorism (SDAT), police of Bordeaux and Bayonne and gendarmes took part in this operation, said the same source.
  
      The Askatasuna committee, who denounced in a press release a new stalk in Ipar Euskal Herria (northern Basque Country), said that the homes of those arrested were being searched Monday morning but gave no other possible indication for the police operation.
  
      According to Askatasuna, a tenth person, Xan Beyrer, was also arrested on June 27 at Cambo, also in the French Basque Country, and was still in custody at the gendarmerie in Pau (South-West) Monday morning.
      
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.