'Eta' bomb explodes near Bilbao

A car bomb explosion has injured a police officer in a town near Bilbao, in the Basque region of northern Spain.

The blast rocked Getxo as police were sealing off the area, 10 minutes after a tip-off from a caller claiming to represent the Basque separatists Eta.

The explosion, at 1430 (1330 GMT) on Tuesday, shattered many windows, the Spanish TV station Telecinco reported.

It came amid growing speculation that Eta might call a ceasefire. Madrid has ruled out talks unless Eta disarms.

The caller, who contacted the Basque newspaper Gara, also said where to find the stolen car's owner, who had been handcuffed to a tree.

Police said the bombing bore the hallmarks of Eta.