Sources: ETA political suspect arrested

MADRID, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Anti-terrorism sources say the suspected head of the policy-making branch of Spain's ETA separatist group was arrested in France, CNN reported Monday.

The unidentified sources told CNN that Aitor Elizaran Aguilar, 30, was arrested along with a second suspect. The Spanish Interior Ministry did confirm two suspected members of the Basque separatist group were arrested, but the ministry did not identify the suspects.

Spain, along with the United States and the European Union, views the ETA, or Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, as a terrorist group.

Members of the ETA, which has a policy-making branch and a military wing, are seeking a Basque homeland in northern Spain along with contiguous lands in France, CNN reported.

Monday's arrests occurred near Carnac, France, and Spanish media has identified the second suspect as a top ETA official named Oihana San Vicente.

CNN said the arrest of the two suspected terrorists came days after two other ETA suspects were arrested in France. The Interior Ministry said in addition to those arrests, police found car bomb-making materials and weapons.