Kemel Uranga Artola has been under an arrest warrant since the blast that killed José María Lidón in Getxo (Bilbao) in 2001, thought to be the work of the accused and of leader of the Comando Vizcaya, Mikel Garikoitz Azpiazu Rubina, known as Txeroki, and Cristina Goirizelaia.

They are also said to have planted a car-bomb in a shopping precinct in Bilbao in an attack against Young Socialist member Eduardo Madina, and the socialist councillor in Portugalete, Esther Cabezudo, and her escort.

Following his arrest in the UK capital on Wednesday, Uranga refused extradition to Spain and will therefore remain in a British jail until August 15 when he will appear in Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Kemen Uranga Artoa is the fourth ETA member to have been arrested in the UK this summer – Antonio Troitiño and Ignacio Lerín were caught at the end of June in London and Beñat Atorrasagasti was detained in Edinburgh on Friday, July 13.