Security review over 'ferry bomb plot'

A suspected ETA terrorist had plans for the Val de Loire

Advice for people travelling to Spain this summer is being reviewed after the discovery of a threat to a car ferry by alleged Basque terrorists.

The plot to bomb the service between the British port of Plymouth and Santander in Spain came to light after seven members of the ETA separatist group were arrested by Spanish police last week.

A timetable and plans of the Val de Loire ferry which carries 2,140 passengers and 540 cars were found on two of the men detained.

ETA planned an explosion in Santander, say sources

The pair, believed to be members of ETA's so-called Xoxua "Blackbird" commando, have been remanded in prison.

The other five suspects were released because of a lack of evidence, although one is being investigated in a separate case.

A statement released by the ferry company stressed that passengers had never been in danger and said that the interests and security of its passengers were of paramount importance.

Tourism threat

Earlier this year, ETA warned tourists to stay away from Spain after setting off bombs at two resorts, apparently trying to damage the country's huge tourism industry.

On Monday, a judge ordered that two men be held in jail on suspicion of setting off a car bomb in the Spanish city Logrono.

The explosion on 10 June caused heavy damage and slightly injured several people.

Spanish newspaper El Pais said the ferry bombing would have been part of a larger violent campaign across the north of Spain during the coming tourist season.

But civilians would not be a target, the paper said.

More than 6 million Britons took package holidays in Spain last year with many more travelling there independently.

800 killings

Reports say ETA also planned to target two hotels and the newspaper El Diario de Burgos, which it sees as sympathetic to the Spanish central government.

Around 800 people have been killed during ETA's 33-year long campaign for an independent state in the Basque-speaking regions of northern Spain and south-west France.

The organisation called off a 14-month ceasefire in December 1999 since when it has been blamed for 31 killings.