Two ETA members, who testified before the Information Headquarters of the Civil Guard (UCE-1) several months ago, pointed to 12 gang leaders for selecting the targets of various attacks.
As confirmed by legal sources to EL ESPAÑOL, among the names they gave was that of Josu Ternera, alias of José Antonio Urrutikoetxea.
Ternera is provisionally released with precautionary measures in France and in January 2024 he will sit on the bench of the accused of the National Court, in the trial for his alleged participation in the attack committed in 1987 against the Civil Guard barracks in Saragossa.
The repentant ETA members appear in judicial documentation as Protected Witness 001 (TP 2/2023) and Protected Witness 002 (TP 3/2023). Both indicated that the leaders of the band were the ones who gave them authorization to attack certain objectives; especially politicians.
In addition to Ternera, they pointed out Santiago Arróspide (Santi Potros), Eugenio Etxebeste Arizkuren (Antxon), José Javier Zabaleta (Baldo), Francisco Múgica Garmendia (Pakito), Domingo Iturbe, (Txomin), Mikel Albisu Iriarte (Mikel Antza), Ignacio de Gracia Arregi (Iñaki de Rentería), José Javier Arizcuren Ruiz (Kantauri), Javier García Gaztelu (Txapote), Julián Achurra Egurola (Pototo), and María Soledad Iparraguirre (Anboto).
The statements of the two protected witnesses have already been incorporated into at least two indictments that are being investigated in the National Court: the one opened for the death of Gregorio Ordóñez and the one for the kidnapping and subsequent murder of Miguel Ángel Blanco.. Both were councilors of the Popular Party in the Basque Country.
The National Court has already sentenced the perpetrators of both attacks. But it keeps two investigations open against the members of the leadership of the terrorist group for their supposed decision-making capacity to select the objectives and authorize the attacks; a kind of mastermind.
Specifically, the two protected witnesses detailed to the Civil Guard that, in order to assassinate a military or police officer, they did not require this authorization.. But they did need it to attack politicians or journalists.
The victims' association Dignidad y Justicia has asked the National Court to incorporate these testimonies into all the cases open against the leadership of ETA.