ETA member wanted since March 2015, Albert Plazaola, arrested in France

The detainee, born in Oñate (Guipuzcoa), was wanted under a European Arrest Warrant issued by Central Criminal Investigation Court Nº 1 for the offences of attempted murder and criminal damage.

Alberto Plazaola joined the terrorist group ETA as a member of the Araba "unit" in 1987 and took part in various armed incidents during the course of that year:

• An attempted attack on the Spanish Guardia Civil headquarters in Orozco (Biscay) with a grenade launcher;
• Placement of a booby trap bomb at a Peugeot-Talbot showroom in the town of Villarreal de Urrechu (Alava), which exploded when the bomb disposal squad proceeded with its deactivation;
• Preparation and placement of an explosive device in the doorway of the pub Naira in the town of Escoriaza (Guipuzcoa), a known point of sale for drugs; and
• Preparation of a grenade launching platform with an additional explosive booby trap against the Spanish Guardia Civil headquarters in Orozco (Biscay).

He went into hiding in France to avoid the police in September 1987, where he undertook various activities relating to the assembly and handling of weapons and explosive devices.

Arrested in France in 1990

Alberto Plazaola Anduaga was arrested in Saint-Martin-de-Seignanx (Landas-40) in 1990 by the French Gendarmerie as he was travelling in a vehicle together with the leader of the legal unit of ETA. He was armed at the time of this arrest.

After his arrest, he served three years in a French prison and was subsequently extradited to Spain, where he was tried and sentenced to 46 years in prison for attempted attack and terrorist damage.

Released in December 2014 after a ruling from the Spanish National High Court

In December 2014, the Spanish National High Court approved the rulings on the accumulation of sentences for various ETA prisoners, including Santiago Arrozpide Sarasola (a.k.a. Santi Potros) and Alberto Plazaola, deducting the time served in France from the sentences handed down in Spain. Both men were released.

In January 2015, the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Supreme Court lodged two appeals with the High Court rejecting the accumulation of sentences for both ETA prisoners. That same January of 2015, the Supreme Court annulled the accumulation of sentences imposed on Santiago Arrozpide, who was arrested on 19 January 2015 in Lasarte (Guipuzcoa).

Furthermore, in March, the High Court annulled the accumulation of sentences imposed on Alberto Plazaola and issued a European Arrest Warrant against him. When the police went to arrest him in his home in Oñate (Guipuzcoa), the member of ETA had gone into hiding and his location was unknown until now.

Today's operation, which culminated in the arrest of ETA member, Alberto Plazaola, was carried out by a joint team and stems from the ongoing collaboration between France and Spain in the fight against the terrorist group ETA.