Madrid - Thousands of Spaniards held silent vigils across the country yesterday to mourn the latest victim linked to the armed Basque separatist group ETA. Leading parties renewed calls to support an anti-terrorist pact seeking an end to ETA's deadly offensive.
Mr Francisco Cano (45), a plumber who worked as a local politician for Spain's ruling Popular Party, was killed on Thursday by a bomb seen as ETA's first reply to an antiterrorism pact signed by Spain's two biggest political parties just two days earlier.
Mr Cano became the 22nd fatal victim blamed on ETA this year in the bloodiest wave of violence by the outlawed group since 1996, when it killed 26 people. ETA has killed some 800 people since 1968 in its drive for an independent state straddling northern Spain and south-western France. A poll published yesterday said 30 per cent of Basques favour independence and showed falling support for a radical independence party seen as ETA's political wing.