Spain TV station bombed in terror attack

BILBAO, Spain, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Basque separatists are suspected in a van bomb that exploded Wednesday at the offices of a regional television station in Bilbao, Spain, officials said.

The station, EiTB, had been evacuated following a telephone warning from someone claiming to be from the Basque militant group ETA, and an explosion followed an hour later at 11:05 a.m., The Times of London said. No injuries were reported in the blast.

The anonymous caller had contacted a fire station in Bilbao with the warning, saying a vehicle loaded explosives would blow up at 11 a.m. Television station workers were able to leave the building before the blast, The Times said.

The owner of the van used in the attack was later found tied to a tree in Arrigoriaga, about 4 miles from Bilbao, with security sources telling the newspaper it appeared the terrorists had robbed his van and used his cellphone to alert authorities about the attack.