<div id="subtitle">Police find house in Portugal used as base by Basque separatist group ETA</div><div><p>Portuguese police seized a large amount of explosives Friday at a home being used by Basque separatist group ETA as a base to prepare attacks in neighboring Spain, officials said.</p><p>About 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) of explosives were found inside a garage at the house, bomb squad commander Helder Barros said at a news conference. A considerable amount of bomb-making equipment was also found, he said.</p><p>The discovery was made after two occupants of a stolen van containing material, including detonators, had fled from a police control near the central town of Obidos, police spokesman Nelson dos Santos said.</p><p>A search of the area led to a house which police believe was used as a base by suspected ETA members Andoni Zengotitabengoa Fernandez and Oier Gomez Mielgo, Dos Santos said.</p><p>ETA has killed more than 825 people since launching a violent campaign in 1968 aimed at carving an independent Basque homeland straddling northern Spain and southwestern France. France has for decades been used by ETA as its favored cross-border destination from which to plan attacks.</p><p>The latest discovery in Portugal is likely to have dealt a blow to ETA's efforts to create a new base, bordering Spain to the west.</p><p>Two suspected ETA members were arrested in Portugal on Jan. 10 when they fled across the border after one had been stopped while driving a van loaded with explosives near a Spanish police barracks.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=68524654&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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