Fourteen suspected members of the new ruling council of the banned Batasuna party were arrested overnight across the Basque country.

A number of properties were raided during the operation, which started shortly after midnight, including the home of Mikel Etxaburu, who yesterday convoked a general strike for the 14th February on behalf of the radical left-wing, Basque separatist 'izquierda abertzale' movement in protest at the legal process to prevent the separatist ANV and Basque communist parties from standing at the 9th March general election.

The arrests coincided with an outbreak of 'kale borroka' vandalism that included fire-bomb attacks on Iberdrola electricity sub-stations in Lezo and Rentería.

An illegal separatist demonstration in Bilbao yesterday afternoon ended in violent clashes with riot police brought in to disperse the marchers, who started a number of fires and blocked several streets with burning barricades. One demonstrator was arrested though no one was reported injured (photo).