Police forces in the Basque region of northern Spain are combing the region to intercept a stolen car they believe is packed with explosives ready to be used in a terrorist attack on security forces.
National police officials say they believe the terrorists intended to detonate the bomb in the path of a Civil Guard convoy as it accompanied a consignment of explosives being driven to a major road building project. What could have resulted in a potentially bloody attack was avoided when the convoy changed its route at the last moment.
The operation follows Monday's arrest in Bilbao of two heavily armed members of the Basque separatist movement, ETA, as they were reportedly driving to a rendezvous with the explosives car. A third man was detained shortly afterwards when police raided an apartment in the centre of Bilbao and found arms and ammunitions, including rocket-launchers and grenades as well as 40 kilos of the explosives stolen from a store in Britanny last summer. They are also searching for Patxi Rementeria, believed to have been driving the stolen car, and allegedly a senior member of the terrorist organisation.
Since ETA called off its 14-month ceasefire on December 3rd security forces in Spain and France have been on maximum alert to prevent terrorist attacks. They have made seven arrests. In December two large explosives finds were made.
Spanish police have also named three other ETA activists they wish to question. Ms Alicia Saenz de la Cuesta disappeared shortly before the discovery of the explosives near Zaragoza and is believed to have escaped into France.
She is known to have worked for several months during the summer in the Pyrenean ski resort of Baqueira Beret where the Spanish royal family traditionally celebrates the New Year.
For the first time in many years they decided to be in the Canary Islands.