By Brian Campbell

All 25 members of the National Executive of Herri Batasuna (the party of left-wing Basque nationalism) have been threatened with jail. The Spanish authorities accuse them of being agents of ETA, which is engaged in an armed struggle to gain independence for the Basque Country. The charge arose when Herri Batasuna (HB) used a video featuring members of ETA as part of its election campaign in May. In the video three ETA volunteers outlined ETA's peace proposals.

The Spanish state responded through the Audiencia Nacional, a special tribunal, which ordered the seizure of the video and the imprisonment of Jon Idigoras, HB MP and spokesperson. He was held for almost four months before being released on bail.

On September 6, up to half a dozen members of HB's national executive were summoned by the Audiencia Nacional to answer the charges. The remaining members have been summoned to appear in subsequent weeks. Because HB does not recognise the jurisdiction of the Spanish courts, they will not travel to Madrid to answer the charges. They expect warrants for their arrest to be issued.

HB member Eusebio Lasa from Bilbao, in Dublin to set up meetings between members of HB's national executive and political parties and with the 26-County government in its role as president of the European Union, told AP/RN that the Spanish state is trying to make illegal the political expression of Basque independence: ``They are trying to prevent us from defending our political opinions. They are not accusing us of using violence, they are accusing us of presenting the only peace proposal now on the table.''

In the video, ETA proposes negotiations on two levels. First, between ETA and the Spanish government in which they want Spain to recognise the right of the Basque Country to self-determination and the unity of their country. Secondly, the Basque people should decide what type of relationship they want with the Spanish state and what kind of society they want.

Eusebio Lasa said the Audiencia Nacional were operating double standards. ``At the same time as they are prosecuting us, they are taking an easy line with members of the state forces who were engaged in the dirty war against our movement. Guardia Civil General Enrique Rodriguez Galindo, who is accused of kidnapping, torturing and killing three young Basque people, has just been released on free bail.''

Lasa called for support for HB's leadership. ``We are calling on people to organise politically in support of HB in the name of real democracy and real freedom of speech.''
[From An Phoblacht/Republican News.]

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