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Wayzata World Factbook 1996
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The World Factbook - 1996 Edition - Wayzata Technology (3079) (1996).iso
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terror
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iraultza
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1996-01-11
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IRAULTZA
10/28/92
GP00034
KEY WORDS:
BASQUE ARMED REVOLUTIONARY WORKER'S ORGANIZATION; REVOLUTION; IRAULTZA-ASKE;
IA; FREE REVOLUTION.DATE FORMED:
1982
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ESTIMATED MEMBERSHIP:
LESS THAN 2 DOZEN
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AREA OF OPERATION:
BASQUE PROVINCES OF SPAIN: VIZCAYA; ALAVA; NAVARRA; GUIPUZCOA
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POLITICAL OBJECTIVES/TARGET AUDIENCE:
* ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT, MARXIST BASQUE NATION;
* END FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN THE BASQUE REGION;
* PROTEST U.S. FOREIGN POLICY, ESPECIALLY IN LATIN AMERICA.
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BACKGROUND:
LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT IRAULTZA, AND ITS ORIGINS ARE OBSCURE. MARXIST
AND STRONGLY ANTI-U.S., IRAULTZA SEEKS TO ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT, MARXIST
BASQUE NATION AND TO END FOREIGN, ESPECIALLY U.S., INVESTMENT IN THE BASQUE
REGION. IN ADDITION, THE GROUP OPPOSES U.S. FOREIGN POLICY; PARTICULARLY
TOWARD LATIN AMERICA, EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY WITH RADICAL LEFTISTS THERE.
ALTHOUGH IRAULTZA IS BELIEVED TO BE QUITE A SMALL ORGANIZATION, IT HAS
COMMITTED BOMBINGS AGAINST U.S. AND FRENCH ECONOMIC AND CORPORATE INTERESTS
IN THE BASQUE REGION. THE GROUP HAS PROBABLY COMMITTED MORE BOMBINGS AGAINST
U.S. BUSINESS INTERESTS THAN ANY OTHER EUROPEAN TERRORIST GROUP. ANONYMOUS
CALLERS CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR IRAULTZA BOMBINGS HAVE VOICED OPPOSITION
TO U.S. AID TO THE NICARAGUAN RESISTANCE, U.S. ACTIONS IN GRENADA AND
LEBANON, AND SPAIN'S PARTICIPATION IN NATO.
IRAULTZA MEMBERS TYPICALLY PLACE SMALL, UNSOPHISTICATED BOMBS ON THE
SIDEWALK OR IN THE STREET OUTSIDE THE INTENDED TARGET, OFTEN LATE AT NIGHT.
ALTHOUGH AN ANONYMOUS CALLER THEN USUALLY WARNS THE POLICE OF THE BOMB'S
PRESENCE, THERE HAS USUALLY NOT BEEN ENOUGH TIME FOR THE AUTHORITIES TO
REACT BEFORE THE BOMB DETONATES. WHILE INTENDING TO CAUSE ONLY PROPERTY
DAMAGE, IRAULTZA "MIDNIGHT" BOMBS HAVE INJURED AND KILLED SEVERAL PEOPLE.
THERE IS LITTLE OR NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE GROUP'S LEADERSHIP,
ORGANIZATION, OR SOURCES OF FUNDING. SINCE THE GROUP IS QUITE SMALL AND ITS
BOMBS ARE SIMPLE, IRAULTZA LIKELY SURVIVES ON MONEY SUPPLIED BY SUPPORTERS
AND POSSIBLY THROUGH SMALL-SCALE EXTORTION. ALTHOUGH CURRENTLY CONSIDERED A
MINOR GROUP, IRAULTZA HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A MORE SERIOUS THREAT.
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SELECTED INCIDENT CHRONOLOGY
MAY, 1982:
BOMBED THE STOCK MARKET AND A BANK IN BILBAO - NO INJURIES.
FEBRUARY, 1983:
CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR AN ATTEMPTED BOMBING OF THE RANK XEROX
OFFICES IN BILBAO. POLICE DISARMED THE BOMB.
APRIL, 1983:
BOMBED THE RANK XEROX OFFICE IN PAMPLONA - NO INJURIES.
MAY, 1983:
BOMBED THREE BANKS IN THE BASQUE PROVINCE OF GUIPUZCOA.
MAY, 1983:
BOMBED THE RANK XEROX OFFICE IN BILBAO - NO INJURIES.
JUNE, 1983:
BOMBED A GENERAL MOTORS AFFILIATED COMPANY IN SAN SEBASTIAN TO
PROTEST U.S. INVESTMENT IN THE BASQUE REGION AND A VISIT BY THE
PRIME MINISTER OF SPAIN TO THE UNITED STATES. THERE WERE NO
INJURIES.
NOVEMBER, 1983:
BOMBED THE BILBAO OFFICES OF THE BANK OF AMERICA AND RANK XEROX IN
PROTEST OF U.S. ACTIONS IN GRENADA AND THE PRESENCE OF U.S.
MARINES IN LEBANON. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
NOVEMBER, 1983:
BOMBED A COCA COLA BOTTLING PLANT IN SAN SEBASTIAN. THERE WERE NO
INJURIES.
DECEMBER, 1983:
BOMBED THE IBM OFFICE IN VITORIA, THE 3M OFFICE IN BILBAO, AND THE
NCR AND COCA COLA OFFICES IN SAN SEBASTIAN. THERE WERE NO
INJURIES.
DECEMBER, 1983:
BOMBED THE HISPANOAMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER IN BILBAO. THERE WERE
NO INJURIES. THE CENTER IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF
THE UNITED STATES.
JANUARY, 1984:
BOMBED A FORD DEALERSHIP IN BILBAO. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
NOVEMBER, 1984:
BOMBED THE IBM OFFICES IN BILBAO. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
JANUARY, 1985:
BOMBED A BILBAO MOVIE THEATRE THAT WAS SHOWING AN AMERICAN WAR
FILM. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
FEBRUARY, 1985:
BOMBED THE FIRESTONE OFFICE IN BILBAO TO COMMEMORATE THE DEATH OF A
GROUP MEMBER AND "IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF LATIN AMERICA
AND ITS STRUGGLE AGAINST US IMPERIALISM." THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
MAY, 1985:
BOMBED THE HERTZ AND AVIS OFFICES IN SAN SEBASTIAN. THERE WERE NO
INJURIES.
NOVEMBER, 1985:
BOMBED THE OFFICES OF HONEYWELL BULL IN SAN SEBASTIAN - NO
INJURIES.
JANUARY, 1986:
BOMBED THE OFFICES OF RANK XEROX IN BILBAO. THERE WERE NO
INJURIES.
FEBRUARY, 1986:
BOMBED THE VITORIA CITY BRANCH OF THE CITIBANK ON "BEHALF OF THE
ANTI-NATO MOVEMENT." THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
JUNE, 1986:
BOMBED THE OFFICES OF 3M IN BILBAO TO PROTEST U.S. AID TO THE
NICARAGUAN RESISTANCE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
JUNE, 1986:
BOMBED A BILBAO CONSTRUCTION SITE TO PROTEST THE BUILDING OF A
WASTE TREATMENT PLANT, KILLING A WORKER WHEN THE BOMB, SET TO
DETONATE AT NIGHT, EXPLODED DURING WORKING HOURS.
MARCH, 1987:
BOMBED THE NCR OFFICES IN BILBAO. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
MARCH, 1988:
BOMBED A FORD SHOWROOM IN VITORIA. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
JUNE, 1989:
BOMBED A CITIBANK OFFICE IN SAN SEBASTIAN. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
DECEMBER, 1989:
BOMBED A FORD DEALERSHIP IN VITORIA. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
JANUARY, 1990:
BOMBED A FORD DEALERSHIP IN BILBAO. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
MAY, 1990:
BOMBED TWO TRUCKS AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE OF THE NAVARRA-GUIPUZCOA
HIGHWAY PROJECT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
APRIL, 1991:
THREE PERSONS WERE KILLED NEAR BILBAO WHEN THE BOMB THEY WERE
CARRYING EXPLODED PREMATURELY. THE THREE WERE MEMBERS OF IRAULTZA.
OCTOBER, 1991:
A BANK IN A BILBAO SUBURB WAS FIREBOMBED. POLICE ATTRIBUTED THE
INCIDENT TO A GROUP CALLING ITSELF "IRAULTZA-ASKE" (IA) OR "FREE"
IRAULTZA, WHICH IS A NEW FACTION OF IRAULTZA AND IS CONSIDERED BY
POLICE AS POTENTIALLY THE MOST VIOLENT FACTION OF THE GROUP
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INFORMATION DERIVED FROM DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC MEDIA SOURCE
DOCUMENTS.