Automatically translated from Basque, translation may contain errors. More information here. Elhuyarren itzultzaile automatikoaren logoa

The U.S. intelligence services. United States gave the Ertzaintza "anti-terrorist training" at the time of Ibarretxe

  • In 2004, the Ertzaintza received an "anti-terrorist training" from US officials, according to a document declassified by the U.S. Department of State. The Spanish State received several benefits in exchange for the unconditional protection granted by the government of José María Aznar to the international policies of the United States. The Basque Government, headed by Juan José Ibarretxe, also took advantage of this context of the "war on terrorism" in the United States following the attacks of 11 September 2001 to combat ETA.
Ertzaintzaren atxiloketa bat Ondarroan. Argazkia: RTVE

01 June 2021 - 09:22

The report, which has now been declassified by the U.S. State Department, was published in March 2005 by Public Journalist Danilo Albín. George W. The "good relations" between the governments chaired by Bush and José María Aznar facilitated mutual support in the "global fight against terrorism". In this context, and according to the declassified document, the Bush intelligence services also maintained relations with the Basque Government, under the nationalist Juan José Ibarretxe in 2004: "The United States has given anti-terrorist training to the Basque Country Police," the report states. Javier Balza then led the Department of Interior. Asked by Public, the Basque Government did not want to comment on this issue.

The 2005 document reports a new working day for US officials: The Ertzaintza was formed along with the Mossos and the National Police regarding the "police investigation".

1999-2009: Ertzaintza, Ibarretxe -Balza and torture

According to the report of the Basque Government on cases of torture in the Basque Country between 1960 and 2014, the Ertzaintza has tortured 336 citizens, among the 4,113 cases of torture at that time. In the decade when Juan José Ibarretxe was lehendakari and Javier Balza Interior Advisor – between 1999 and 2009 – the Ertzaintza tortured at least 125 people. Balza at that time repeatedly denied the torture of the Ertzaintza in the media and in the Basque Parliament. Balza, for example, stated in 2002 that allegations of torture of detainees "are common practice as a slogan for identifying Ertzainas involved in interrogations".

Javier Balza left the front line of professional policy, while becoming an Interior Advisor. Since 2009 she has worked as a lawyer in the cabinet Uria Menéndez, one of the main references of Spanish capitalism. He has defended Petronor, led by his party colleague, Josu Jon Imaz, and Gorka Iraizoz.


You are interested in the channel: Ertzaintza
2025-04-10 | Gedar
A case is being investigated of a person who died during a border intervention
In August of last year, near Irun, a man suffered a heart attack when he was arrested by gunmen. During the investigation into the death of Eneko Valdés, the police were acquitted.

Amaia Zabarte, a Real fan who was wounded by the gunmen, testified before the judge: "It's a day of great rage"
Zabarte’s partner Noboa has declared that it is a “day of great anger” when his wife recently testified before the judge. He was wounded on the threshold of a Real match in March 2024 with a foam projectile and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital of San... [+]

Biktima gisa aitortzeko txostenak jaso dituzte Pasaiako segadan eraildakoen eta Rosa Zarraren senideek

Azken astean ezagutarazi moduan, Eusko Jaurlaritzaren Balorazio Batzordeak txosten banatan aitortu ditu estatuaren biktima gisa. Justizia sailburuak ekitaldi pribatu banatan entregatu dizkie dokumentuak.


Rosa Zarra Ertzaintzaren pilotakadak hil zuen

Rosa Zarra Ertzaintzaren pilotakada baten ondorioz hil zela da Eusko Jaurlaritzako Poliziaren Biktimen Balorazio Batzordeak atera duen ondorioa, Berria-k jakinarazi duenez. Orain arte, Ertzaintzak beti egin dio uko bertsio horri, eta Rosa Zarra berak zuen gaixotasunaren ondorioz... [+]


Donostiako Birunda gune autogestionatua “ilegalki” hustu dute

Ustez, lokalaren jabetza eskuratu dutenek bidali dituzte sarrailagileak sarraila aldatzera; Ertzaintzak babestuta aritu dira hori egiten. Birundak epaiketa bat irabazi du duela gutxi.


2025-03-20 | Gedar
“Ertzainek aita jipoitu zuten nire alboan, 65 urte ditu eta elbarria da”

Ertzaintzak martxoaren 13an Bilbon zauritutako bi pertsonaren testigantza jaso ditugu. Athleticen partidaren ostean larriki zauritu zituzten aita-semeak, borra-kolpeka, eta atxilo eraman zuten haietako bat. Furgonetatik ikusi zuen ertzainek nola egin zuten tiro jendearen kontra,... [+]


Ertzainei urteko soldata gutxienez 4.200 euro igotzea adostu du Jaurlaritzak sindikatu nagusiekin

ERNE, ESAN eta SIPErekin egin du akordioa Eusko Jaurlaritzak 2025-2028 aldirako. Besteak beste, urteko soldatan 4.200 euro gordineko igoera "graduala" izango du ertzain bakoitzak. Sindikatuen iturriek El Diario Vascori azaldu diotenez, akordioarekin Ertzaintza Espainiako... [+]


Manifestazio jendetsua Martxoak 3an Gasteizen Poliziak eraildako bost langileen oroimenez

49 urte eta gero Espainiako Poliziak Gasteizko Maria Sortzez Garbiaren katedralean eraildako bost langileak oroitu dituzte beste behin astelehen arratsaldean. Milaka pertsona batu dira Zaramagatik abiatutako eta katedralean amaitutako manifestazioan. Manifestari guztiek ez dute... [+]


Zupiriak ukatu egin du ertzainek “indarra modu desegokian” erabili zutenik Ágredoren aurka

31 urteko emakume kolonbiarra osasun zentrora eraman ordez ertzain etxera eramatean agenteek "akatsa" egin zutela aitortu du Segurtasun sailburuak, baina azpimarratu du ez zuela "jipoirik" jaso.


Ágredok epailearen aurrean deklaratu du astelehenean, eta Zupiriak asteazkenean egingo du agerraldia legebiltzarrean

Karen Daniela Ágredok dioenez, zortzi bat ordu eman zituen ziegako zoruan etzanda Ertzaintzak ospitalera eraman aurretik. Segurtasun sailburu Bingen Zupiriak berak eskatu du Eusko Legebiltzarrean agerraldia egitea.


Ágredok dioenez, zortzi bat ordu eman zituen ziegako zoruan etzanda Ertzaintzak ospitalera eraman aurretik

Karen Daniela Ágredok dioenez, atxilotu zutenean berak ez zuen ertzainik zauritu, haiek lurrera bota zuten eta konortea galdu zuen. Ondoren, Ertzaintzaren komisariaren zoruan iratzartu zen eta handik ospitalera eraman zuten.


The Government has not taken a decision in the case of the woman from San Sebastián who was hospitalized in the ICU after the assault of the Ercion
Security Counselor Bingen Zupiria said that as long as they have “no security or certainty about whether things have been done right or wrong,” they will not take action. Her aunt explains that the woman who was attacked by police officers is "helpless" after two or three days... [+]

A woman in San Sebastián complains that after the assault on her, she ended up in the ICU unconscious
Members of the woman’s family have filed a complaint with the Colombian consulate in Bilbao. He was assaulted on 1 February at the gates of a nightclub on Manterola Street in San Sebastián. According to various testimonies, even though he was unconscious, he continued to be... [+]

Lawyer sentenced to six years in prison for helping a prisoner in exchange for drugs
The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Gipuzkoa wants to sentence the head of patrols of the Citizen Protection of Donostia-San Sebastian to six years in prison. The gunman offered benefits in the court process in exchange for cocaine to a man arrested on charges of drug... [+]

Eguneraketa berriak daude