National Court judge Ismael Moreno has ordered the four ETA members detained in Hernani and Segura (Guipúzcoa) on Monday to be remanded in custody.
In 2008, one of the detainees, Juan María Maizkurrena Arkizu, lodged with two other ETA members, Joane Larretxea and Iurgi Garitagoitia, and is thought to be connected in some way to the murder of businessman Ignacio Uría.
The judge remanded the suspects in custody at the request of the prosecutor, Vicente González Mota, on the grounds of collaboration with a terrorist organisation. The detainees are also thought to have sheltered ETA activist Ibai Beobide, a leader who hid three bags of explosives (150 kilos) which have so far not been discovered and are ready for use ‘at any moment’.