(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 15 May 2001 IFJ media release: IFJ Condemns “Brutal Intimidation” As Terrorists Target Basque Journalist The International Federation of Journalists and its regional group the European Federation of Journalists today accused Basque terrorists of “brutal intimidation” of the media world after a parcel bomb exploded at the home of […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 15 May 2001 IFJ media release:
IFJ Condemns “Brutal Intimidation” As Terrorists Target Basque Journalist
The International Federation of Journalists and its regional group the European Federation of Journalists today accused Basque terrorists of “brutal intimidation” of the media world after a parcel bomb exploded at the home of journalist Gorka Landaburu in Zarautz.
The attack – the latest attempt on the life of Mr Landaburu, who was the victim of an earlier bomb attack and has received death threats for many years — comes shortly after Basque voters snubbed the separatist party Euskal Herritarrok (EH) in regional elections. The party is widely recognised as the political arm of the separatist terror group ETA.
“Journalists around Europe and throughout the world repudiate this sort of reckless and cowardly attack,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “It is a fresh attempt to strike fear into the heart of journalism – but it will not work.”
The IFJ said that it supported the determination of its Spanish affiliates – the Federacion de Asociaciones de la Prensa Española (FAPE), the Federacion de Comunicacion, Papel y Artes Gráficos ELA IGEKO and the Federacion de Comunicacion y Transporte de CC.OO – to challenge the recent terrorist campaign of violence against media staff.
Gorka Landaburu works for Cambio 16, a Madrid-based magazine, and for the television station Canal Sur. He was burned in the hands and face by the parcel bomb, which was delivered to his home.
The attack is the latest in a series of actions against journalists: last year José Luis Lopez de la Calle of El Mundo was killed; in January an ETA unit in Barcelona tried to kill Luis Del Olmo, a leading radio journalist; in March the offices of El Correo in Bilbao were hit by a number of “Molotov cocktails”.
“Terrorists must not think that blaming and bombing journalists is any solution to their problems. Our members will not be bombed into submission,” said Aidan White. “This campaign of terror should not be allowed to stifle the work of journalists.”
The IFJ is calling on the Spanish authorities and European political leaders to redouble their efforts to isolate the terrorists. “There can be no freedom of expression when journalists live in a climate of fear,” said the IFJ. “Politicians must foster an atmosphere of tolerance and support for journalists. We must all strive to obtain the conditions for free and independent journalism in the region.”
