It has already been confirmed that the handgun used to murder Ignacio Uría in Azpeitia yesterday was not the same one used to kill socialist councillor, Isaías Carrasco, last March.

Three cartridge cases found at the scene of yesterday's assassnation are of the same type - Parabellum 9mm - but are not a ballistic match to the five found in Arrasate.

Notwithstanding, the 'modus operandi' is very similar, and it is believed that the same gang was responsible for both attacks: the shots were all fired by one gunman, neither of the victims had bodyguards to protect them, both followed regular daily routines, and both were shot at around 1am in the afternoon close to their homes.

It has also been confirmed that the two terrorists who carried out yesterday's assassination used a stolen Alfa Romeo that had been hijacked in Itziar, where its owner was found tied up, and to where the assassins returned after the attack before making their escape in a second car.

There are contradictory reports that a third terrorist stayed with the driver while the other two carried out the murder, but he only claims to have seen two men.

The stolen Alfa Romeo was set fire to to destroy forensic evidence.

Furthermore, investigators are working on the theory that the same gang was also responsible for the recent car bomb attack at Navarra University in Pamplona at the end of October.

Basque businessman shot, ETA blamed
By: thinkSPAIN
Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Ignacio Uría (71) was shot dead in Azpeitia at around 1pm this lunchtime as he was sitting in his car outside the Kiruri restaurant, located in the Plaza Ignacio de Loyola, where he went every day to play cards.

It seems that the victim, who was on the board of the Altuna y Uría construction company, was hit twice - once in the head and once in the chest - and died at the scene.

A spokesman from the Basque regional government has blamed ETA for the attack.

Mr Uría's company, which is currently engaged on the new Basque rail link, was targeted by separatists in March last year when the tyres of several of its lorries were slashed and anti-AVE fast train slogans were daubed on the sides of the vehicles.