MADRID — The Basque separatist militant group ETA declared a cease fire in a video statement issued on Sunday.
The video showed three masked militants making a statement in Basque. The statement appeared on Basque newspaper Gara's website and was also made available to the British broadcaster BBC. Gara accompanied the video with a transcription of the statement in Basque and Spanish.
"ETA makes it known that as of some months ago it took the decision to no longer employ offensive armed actions," the statement said, suggesting it is ready to pursue a "democratic process," in trying to achieve its goals.
ETA is seeking an independent Basque homeland in northern Spain and southwestern France. It is considered a terrorist organization by the European Union and the US. It has killed more than 825 people since the late 1960s.
