Blast rocks Basque printing press

An explosion has damaged the printing press of a newspaper in Spain's Basque northern region.

The blast hit El Correo's plant on an industrial estate near the port city of Bilbao at about 0300 (0100 GMT).

No one was hurt. The Interior Ministry said it suspected a bombing had taken place, the Associated Press reported.

El Correo's website said it suspected the Basque separatist group Eta, which has been blamed for many bombings and other attacks.

The newspaper's website said about 50 people were working to prepare Sunday's edition of the paper when the explosion took place.

No warning was received before the blast, an Interior Ministry spokesman told AP.

Eta is blamed for the deaths of more than 820 people in its 40-year campaign for an independent Basque nation.

The group announced a ceasefire in 2006 but formally ended it last June.