ETA suspects held after chase drama

ETA has fought a long and bloody campaign for independence

Two armed suspects from the Basque separatist group ETA have been arrested in France after a high-speed car chase.

Police said the two men were stopped in the town of Aubusson in the Creuse area of central France.

Their names have not been released.

The men had failed to stop for a traffic check while driving a car with false number plates.

The chase through Aubusson ended when the men's vehicle hit a parked car.

Two guns are believed to have been recovered.

Clampdown

Dozens of arrests of ETA suspects have been made in France and Spain this year. The group is believed to have had a number of key operations inside France, including a training camp.

ETA wants independence for the Basque region, which straddles the French-Spanish border.

On Tuesday the lower house of the Spanish parliament voted to outlaw ETA's political arm, Batasuna.

The bill will now go on to the Senate, where it is expected to be passed without amendments on 25 June.