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Basques Suspected in Bombings at 2 French Car Agencies

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From Times Wire Services

Two bombs set off by suspected Basque separatists Sunday night damaged two French car dealerships at Guecho, near Bilbao, police said.

Officers said the bombs exploded almost simultaneously and damaged cars in the two dealerships, one of which sells Peugeot automobiles and the other Renaults.

A woman was slightly injured and treated for cuts caused by flying window glass, police said.

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The bombs exploded after police received a telephone warning from a man who claimed to be a member of the Basque separatist organization ETA (Basque Homeland and Freedom).

The separatists have bombed at least 27 French-owned businesses over the last two months while sympathizers destroyed scores of French-registered cars to protest the deportation of 26 alleged guerrillas to Spain since July.

Earlier Sunday, police in San Sebastian arrested four suspected Basque separatists as they were making a bomb, officials said.

The four, believed to be members of ETA, were detained under Spain’s anti-terrorist law, which allows police to hold a suspect incommunicado for up to 10 days.

The terrorist group bombed the French-owned Novotel hotel in Madrid on Christmas Day, causing extensive damage but no injuries.

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