After winning its internal battle, ETA is now focused on winning the external one. Following Al Qaeda’s attacks in the United States, Spain, Great Britain and many other countries, few things were as roundly repudiated and fought by the international community as terrorism. Countries that in the past had viewed terrorism as someone else’s problem and even considered some groups romantic independence fighters, realized Jihad terrorism was a global threat specifically affecting Western democracies.   

 

In this difficult crossroads, ETA’s greatest success has been to move from being an internationally recognized terrorist group –due to the Aznar administrations’ determination and management– to one engaged in a peace process whose necessary result is a negotiated end to the violence or an opportunity for dialogue.  

 

The terrorists have always looked for international participation, in particular that of the European Union, in negotiations with the Spanish state. This international dimension would place ETA on the same footing as the state itself and constitute a precedent for full Basque sovereignty later on.

 

The second message in the terrorist group’s Thursday communiqué was adding the liberation of Catalonia to its objectives. A few weeks ago, GEES anticipated the linking of the peace process in the Basque Country to Catalonia’s attempt to gain independence. The terrorists have now made this relationship clear.   

 

The Zapatero administration needs to change its anti-terrorist policy as soon as possible. Thanks to the government’s weakness, ETA is not only getting stronger but displaying greater ambition and daring. This would be the moment to return to the Pact for Freedom and against Terrorism and support a Parliamentary declaration saying, quite simply, “Enough is enough!”