Face to Face with ETA: Conversations with a Terrorist

From 1968 to 2010,

the terrorist organization ETA murdered 852 people and wounded 2,661 others.

Source: Spanish Ministry of the Interior.

ETA was founded in 1959, during Francisco Franco's dictatorship,

to fight for the independence of the Basque Country.

Following Franco's death in 1975, ETA became increasingly violent.

The organization committed more than 90% of its murders

after the transition to democracy.

The Spanish state as well as far-right and parapolice groups waged

an illicit war against ETA in which 73 people were killed.

Source: Basque government.

- -

Francisco Ruiz and Josu Urrutikoetxea do not know each other

and have only crossed paths once.

This is part of their story.

I moved to Euskadi because…

Well, I am one of those kids born in the aftermath

of the Spanish Civil War.

I moved to Euskadi when I was three.

Then later on, at seventeen, I became a licensed plumber.

And that was until I was 28 or 29 years old,

when I moved to Ciudad Real.

I built my life there.

That was where I got married, and that was where raised four daughters.

And to be honest, I really… Well the truth is

I've always really loved Euskadi.

So I have fond memories of that land.

I finished my military service.

Galdakao, where I lived, posted three police officer jobs,

which required a public service exam.

And, well, I didn't particularly want to be a police officer.

It wasn't something I had ever thought about.

But the truth is that I realized I had to bring home a salary

because, by that point, I already had four daughters.

So I had to bring in money.

Francisco, what happened on the 9th of February 1976?

Well, on that day, the 9th of February in '76, I was on duty.

I started at 6:00 a.m.

In addition to our regular duties as officers, as local police officers,

we also had to work for the mayor, as bodyguards.

The mayor always went out at 8:00 a.m. sharp.

And on that day, it was my responsibility, as the senior officer,

to wait for the mayor outside his house, by his door.

And to walk him to his car.

It was about 500 meters down the road.

He always came out at the same time, of course,

and we always walked down the same street.

And then, twenty meters from his doorstep, from where the mayor lived,

an ETA cell ambushed us.

They jumped out with handguns and machine guns.

And, well, they riddled us with bullets.

They shot the mayor. I think it was five or six times.

They killed the mayor right then and there, on the spot.

I was shot in the chest several times,

I got some bullets in my stomach too.

But I did have a moment to react,

and I threw myself down between two parked cars.

So that, well, that saved my life.

But as the terrorists were fleeing,

they aimed a machine gun at me and fired more rounds.

And so then I got six more bullets in my body,

from the waist down.

But, hey…

I was alive. I was alive at that moment.

I didn't lose consciousness.

So what I did was… Because I was a Catholic,

not much of a churchgoer, but I was a Catholic,

I asked the Virgin Mary, I prayed to her…

…so that she would spare my life…

to raise my daughters.

And, eventually, I passed out.

They told me…

People were scared.

Because the whole time I was lying there, no one came to help.

And it was the town's main street.

It was 8:00 a.m., when everyone's leaving for work.

Later on, they called my wife. And she…

Well, she feared the worst.

My wife was speechless.

In that moment, my wife had no words.

And then a police car came to pick her up

and took her to the hospital where I was.

I was in the operating room,

and they told her that they wouldn't bet a cent on my survival.

Because of all the bullets in my body.

But I think that prayer I said worked.

The Lady up there helped me.

We were there for a total of five months. Five months.

I spent five months in the hospital.

Then they discharged me, and I went home.

But I went home in a wheelchair.

And the first time I went out, I noticed that there was…

I felt a lot of judgement directed toward me.

People were staying away.

I noticed that people who I knew would cross the road to avoid me.

There was already a lot of fear in the Basque Country.

They were scared to be seen with a victim of terrorism

by an abertzale, a Basque nationalist.

And, honestly, that hurt me very deeply.

It was as painful as the actual attack.

To be cast out of that community

where I'd lived since I was three years old,

well, since I was six, when I moved to Galdakao.

I lived in that town. Everybody knew me.

So, to be rejected for being a victim,

that was a terrible blow for me.

When my wife went out to the shops to get groceries,

when she went to the butcher's,

well, he would have no problem just speaking his mind.

With the shop full of people he'd say,

"They should have killed that fascist a long time ago."

"And screw that police officer for protecting him."

When my wife came home, I would see the tears in her eyes.

So I had to make a choice. I talked to my family,

and we decided to leave the Basque Country.

As if we were… I don't know.

Like exiles.

We had to leave that area.

Have you felt hatred

towards the people that carried out the attack on you and the mayor?

Have I felt hatred? Of course, I have.

I've felt hatred, just like I felt fear in those days.

The investigation into your attack was never resolved.

Some of the members

of the terrorist organization ETA who attacked you could not be identified,

and then others were pardoned in 1977.

We have put together a documentary that is based around a conversation,

an interview with an historic ETA member, whose name is Josu Urrutikoetxea.

I don't know if you…

Yes. Josu Ternera.

Coincidentally, he actually gave us new information relating to your attack.

And you, at least, deserve to know this information.

Wow. This is the first I've heard

about an ETA terrorist sharing details about that day.

I don't know if you'd like to see the footage, or if you'd rather not--

Of course! Of course I want to see it.

It's been a long time. I'd like to hear

something I don't already know about the attack.

Well, then, I'd like you to watch.

Okay.

I know you don't like to be called Ternera,

but when talking to people who know you,

former associates and former members of ETA,

they call you that.

Why the nickname?

Well, it happened over drinks at a bar in Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

There was someone-- I know who they are, but I'm not going to tell you.

And they said, "Shit, you reacted like a calf,"

which in Spanish is "ternera."

So what happened next?

Soon afterwards,

one of the people there that night went on to be arrested

in the Southern Basque Country…

and was tortured.

And this person repeated what they heard that night.

"Yes, in this bar, on such and such date, so-and-so and so-and-so were there,

and this other guy… and among them,

a guy who they called 'Ternera'."

And they said, "Who, him?"

They showed the guy a photo, and he said, "Yes, that's him."

And then that's what was written on the summons documents.

That's where the nickname first appeared.

- Josu Ternera. - Yes.

Josu Ternera, Josu Ternera…

Admiral Carrero Blanco, president of Spain, has been assassinated.

He was attacked by terrorists.

ETA'S MILITARY ARM RESTRUCTURES AND MAKES URRUTIKOETXEA NUMBER TWO

"JOSU TERNERA" NOW TOP ETA LEADER, DIRECTLY CONTROLS MILITARY

ETA'S MOST POWERFUL LEADER EVER

José Antonio Urrutikoetxea has been arrested.

José Antonio Urrutikoetxea,

alias Josu Ternera, is considered to be ETA's number one.

NO EXTRADITIONS

FREE JOSU!

Today, French authorities handed over Josu Ternera, a top-member of ETA,

to Spanish police.

He is suspected of leading ETA's international arm.

You sons of bitches!

Murderers! Murderers…

Enough is enough! Enough is enough…

Josu Ternera was released from prison today.

Long live ETA's military arm!

Obtaining a legislative seat is always better

than obtaining a handgun and using it.

That's always better.

As painful as it is, I think he has the right to do it.

Josu Ternera, tell your former comrades

to let us, the people, enact our own revolution,

our own changes at the polls.

NO TO ETA - THAT'S ENOUGH

The Batasuna member of Parliament

and ETA's former number one, Josu Ternera, is at large.

We do not know the whereabouts of Mr. Urrutikoetxea.

I have no information and no clue

if we'll learn where he is.

The Government will begin talks with ETA.

What was Josu Ternera's advantage? He knew the importance of Parliament.

ETA has decided to permanently disarm.

FORWARD ON BOTH FRONTS

It's the end of the road according to a key figure, Josu Ternera.