Josu Ternera
Encyclopedia
Jose Antonio Urrutikoetxea Bengoetxea (b. 24 December 1950 in Miravalles, Biscay
, also known as Josu Ternera and Josu Calf) is a historical member of the Basque separatist organization ETA
.
and was in charge of operations in Biscay until the organisation went underground. In May 1971 he fled to Franca, Brazil at which time he joined the military front of the organisation.
In July 1972 he participated in ETA meetings in Madrid
. On July 15, 1972 he attacked the Orbegozo factory in Hernani
(Guipúzcoa), stealing approximately four million pesetas.
On July 28, 1972 Ternera was involved in the robbery of a van carrying foreign currency for the Bank of Biscay in the village of Pasajes (Guipúzcoa), seizing more 12,000,000 pesetas. On December 6, 1972 he participated in an attack on the Union House of Hernani
.
On January 21, 1973, along with other members of ETA, he used a powder keg with more than 3,000 kilograms of dynamite
and various explosive materials to plan an attack. Part of those explosives were used in December 1973 to kill Luis Carrero Blanco
, who served as Spanish Prime Minister during the Franco
government.
He later assumed responsibility for the military front Eustakio Mendizábal Benito.
In January 1989 he was arrested in Bayonne
with Elena Beloki, the leader of Herri Batasuna, who was later recognized as the organizer of the international apparatus of ETA. He was sent to Fresnes prison in Paris. Later he was extradited to Spain, where he was freed when it was considered that he had been judged in France regarding his membership and financing of ETA and the other crimes of which he had been accused.
He was summoned to testify on two occasions before the Supreme Court, who investigated whether Ternera had issued the order for the ETA to attack the house quarter of the Civil Guard of Zaragoza
in 1987, an attack in which eleven people died, among them five children. On October 26, 1990, he was found guilty and was sentenced to ten years in prison for conspiracy, use of false documents and illegal possession of weapons.
The Office of the Public Prosecutor of the National Hearing Solicitor in July 1993 sentenced Ternera to twelve years of prison for being in charge of the international apparatus of ETA from 1984 to his arrest in 1989. After his release in France he was handed over to the Spanish authorities on May 4, 1996.
The judge of the Audiencia Nacional, Javier Gomez de Liaño, ordered his detention. That same month he was accused of belonging to an arms depot. In June 1996 he was declared guilty of being in charge of the attack on the Plaza de la República Argentina in Madrid
in 1986, which killed twelve civilian guards.
The former ETA member Juan Manuel Suárez Gamboa recognized that "Josu Ternera" was one of the primary leaders of ETA. In October 1996 Jose Rego maintained that "Josu Ternera" was the head of the ETA in 1987, which led to Judge Gomez de Liaño reopening four cases against him.
in Vizcaya by the lists of Euskal Herritarrok and has been a member of the Commission of Human Rights.
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
, also known as Josu Ternera and Josu Calf) is a historical member of the Basque separatist organization ETA
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
.
ETA activity
Ternera served in the ETAETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
and was in charge of operations in Biscay until the organisation went underground. In May 1971 he fled to Franca, Brazil at which time he joined the military front of the organisation.
In July 1972 he participated in ETA meetings in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. On July 15, 1972 he attacked the Orbegozo factory in Hernani
Hernani, Spain
Hernani is a town and municipality located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country, Spain. It is located at Latitude: 43° 16' 0N , Longitude: 1° 58' 0W. Hernani has an altitude of 200 ft .-External links:* and Basque.* Basque, , and ....
(Guipúzcoa), stealing approximately four million pesetas.
On July 28, 1972 Ternera was involved in the robbery of a van carrying foreign currency for the Bank of Biscay in the village of Pasajes (Guipúzcoa), seizing more 12,000,000 pesetas. On December 6, 1972 he participated in an attack on the Union House of Hernani
Hernani, Spain
Hernani is a town and municipality located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country, Spain. It is located at Latitude: 43° 16' 0N , Longitude: 1° 58' 0W. Hernani has an altitude of 200 ft .-External links:* and Basque.* Basque, , and ....
.
On January 21, 1973, along with other members of ETA, he used a powder keg with more than 3,000 kilograms of dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
and various explosive materials to plan an attack. Part of those explosives were used in December 1973 to kill Luis Carrero Blanco
Luis Carrero Blanco
Don Luis Carrero Blanco, 1st Duke of Carrero Blanco, Grandee of Spain was a Spanish admiral and long-time confidant of dictator Francisco Franco.- Biography :...
, who served as Spanish Prime Minister during the Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
government.
He later assumed responsibility for the military front Eustakio Mendizábal Benito.
In January 1989 he was arrested in Bayonne
Bayonne
Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
with Elena Beloki, the leader of Herri Batasuna, who was later recognized as the organizer of the international apparatus of ETA. He was sent to Fresnes prison in Paris. Later he was extradited to Spain, where he was freed when it was considered that he had been judged in France regarding his membership and financing of ETA and the other crimes of which he had been accused.
He was summoned to testify on two occasions before the Supreme Court, who investigated whether Ternera had issued the order for the ETA to attack the house quarter of the Civil Guard of Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
in 1987, an attack in which eleven people died, among them five children. On October 26, 1990, he was found guilty and was sentenced to ten years in prison for conspiracy, use of false documents and illegal possession of weapons.
The Office of the Public Prosecutor of the National Hearing Solicitor in July 1993 sentenced Ternera to twelve years of prison for being in charge of the international apparatus of ETA from 1984 to his arrest in 1989. After his release in France he was handed over to the Spanish authorities on May 4, 1996.
The judge of the Audiencia Nacional, Javier Gomez de Liaño, ordered his detention. That same month he was accused of belonging to an arms depot. In June 1996 he was declared guilty of being in charge of the attack on the Plaza de la República Argentina in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in 1986, which killed twelve civilian guards.
The former ETA member Juan Manuel Suárez Gamboa recognized that "Josu Ternera" was one of the primary leaders of ETA. In October 1996 Jose Rego maintained that "Josu Ternera" was the head of the ETA in 1987, which led to Judge Gomez de Liaño reopening four cases against him.
Political activity
Ternera has been a member of the Basque ParliamentBasque Parliament
The Basque Parliament is the legislative body of the Basque Autonomous Community of Spain and the elected assembly to which the Basque Government is responsible....
in Vizcaya by the lists of Euskal Herritarrok and has been a member of the Commission of Human Rights.