A top newspaper executive was gunned down in the Basque region today in what police said was the latest assassination by the armed separatist group ETA.
Police said Mr Santiago Oleaga Elejabarrieta (54), financial director of the Basque newspaper El Diario Vasco, died immediately when he was hit by two to three bullets in a hospital car park in San Sebastian.
Less than an hour later, a car blew up elsewhere in the town. Police said it was probably the attackers wiping out traces of the crime - a common ETA practice after using a getaway car.
The executive was the eighth victim of killings attributed to ETA since the start of the year and the 31st since the group ended a 14-month ceasefire at the beginning of 2000.
ETA has attacked a number of journalists critical of its violent drive for an independent Basque homeland.
Earlier this week, the winner of Basque elections this month ruled out any co-operation with ETA's political wing until it condemned violence.
AFP