Pernando Barrena is a spokesperson and one of the current leaders of the ‘political party’ Herri Batasuna. Under the government of President José María Aznar, it was deemed necessary to ban this “party” from participating in Spanish politics due to its clear and close ties with ETA, the Basque terrorist group. As the Basques have known for a long time, Herri Batasuna—which translates to Unity of the People—is just another name for what was once known as ETA Politico Militar, the political wing of ETA. It goes without saying that it follows the radical line of the terrorist group, and its ideological framework is firmly built on the propagation and use of terrorism to achieve political goals.
Recently, a group of Spaniards were killed by a suicide bomber in Yemen. Some of the victims were Basques from San Sebastián and Zarautz, who had chosen that country as their vacation spot. The reaction from the government of President Rodríguez Zapatero has been revealing. Similar to the recent terrorist attack where Spanish troops under the UN peacekeeping program in Lebanon lost their lives, Rodríguez Zapatero made one of those political promises he will never fulfill: “we will not rest until those responsible are brought to justice.”
However, the reaction from a certain Pernando Barrena must be taken in its proper context because here is a man, speaking on behalf of a banned ‘party’ who declares for the record: “obviously, the attacks against innocent civilians in Yemen aimed to terrorize and harm innocents, while what happened at T4 (the ETA attack in the parking lot of Madrid airport last December) was not intended to harm innocents.” Perhaps Barrena does not consider the two victims of T4 as “innocent,” even though they were Ecuadorian immigrants working in this country.
Nevertheless, his statements broadcasted nationwide raise several questions. First, how is it that this man is allowed to spread his message to millions of households, given his credentials, political situation, and connection to a terrorist group? Second, how does he know that ETA’s intention in the T4 attack was not to “terrorize and harm innocents”? Third, how is it that this man, guilty of glorifying terrorism, is allowed to go about his business freely? And fourth, how does someone associated with an organization that has killed over 800 innocent people receive so much media coverage?
What’s happening in this emerging democracy is far from pretty…