ETA’s Former Logistics Chief Calls Killings ‘Executions,’ Not Murders
José María Zabarte, 68, a former ETA logistics coordinator serving 29 years in prison, told El Mundo in an exclusive interview that he had “executed” enemies of the Basque separatist group rather than “murdered” them.
The admission, made from a prison in Navarra days after his temporary release under a furlough program, forces Spain’s judicial system to confront lingering questions about ETA’s legacy. Zabarte, convicted in 2005 for arms trafficking and supporting attacks that killed 11 people between 1985 and 1990, insisted: *”I have never killed anyone. I have executed. That’s the difference.”* His language mirrors justifications used by ETA’s leadership, blurring the line between criminal violence and what Spain’s courts have long classified as terrorism.
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A Legal Minefield: How ‘Execution’ Could Reshape ETA Cases
The distinction matters. Legal experts consulted by El Mundo warn that Zabarte’s framing—echoing ETA’s historical argument that its violence was a “war”—could complicate prosecutions under international law. The term *”execution”* implies institutional sanction, something ETA never claimed. Yet Zabarte’s public embrace of it may embolden other ex-members to adopt similar rhetoric, further polarizing debates over amnesty and reconciliation.
Spain’s government has rejected amnesty for ETA members, but Zabarte’s lawyer, Javier Martínez, dismissed the interview as *”a personal reflection,”* not a legal provocation. Prosecutors, however, may now scrutinize whether his remarks constitute an admission of guilt under a different legal framework—especially as his temporary release expires in July and his full parole hearing looms in October.
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Political Fallout: EH Bildu and Sare Stay Silent—For Now
EH Bildu, the political party led by Arnaldo Otegi, did not immediately respond to Zabarte’s comments. But Otegi has repeatedly called for a *”political solution”* to ETA’s legacy, including prisoner releases—a stance aligned with Sare, the association supporting ETA inmates, which has long framed them as *”political prisoners.”* The Spanish government has yet to react, though officials have signaled that further public justifications of violence could trigger legal consequences.
Basque political factions remain divided. While left-wing Podemos has pushed for dialogue, the conservative Partido Popular dismisses any concessions as legitimizing terrorism. The tension mirrors a broader pattern: in 2023, another ex-ETA leader, Javier López Peña, published a memoir arguing that the group’s violence was a *”necessary evil”* in the Basque conflict. Such statements have reignited debates over whether Spain’s justice system should prioritize punishment or reconciliation.
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No Official Response: National Court, Justice Ministry Remain Silent
Neither the Spanish Ministry of Justice nor the Basque regional government has commented on Zabarte’s interview. The National Court, which oversees terrorism cases, has not indicated whether it will review his remarks for potential legal repercussions. His lawyer insists the comments were *”not intended to provoke a legal response,”*—but legal observers warn they could reopen investigations into ETA’s final years.
The interview leaves one critical question unanswered: Will Zabarte’s framing influence negotiations over ETA’s remaining prisoners, including Mikel Albisu, the last known member still incarcerated? With no official reaction from Spanish authorities, the debate over accountability—and whether justice can coexist with political reconciliation—remains unresolved.
