ETA (separatist group)

Euskadi Ta Askatasuna
Participant in Basque conflict
Euskadi Ta Askatasuna's symbol
Active	31 July 1959 – 21 October 2011
Ideology	Basque nationalism Revolutionary socialism
Leaders	Josu Urrutikoetxea David Pla Iratxe Sorzabal Izaskun Lesaka Mikel Irastorza
Headquarters	Greater Basque Country
Area of operations	Principally Spain France (largely as operative base and safe haven)
Strength	50 at liberty (more than 300 in prison)
Allies	Herri Batasuna Batasuna
Opponents	Spain, France

ETA (Basque: [eta], Spanish: [ˈeta]), an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (Basque pronunciation: [eus̺kaði ta as̺katas̺una]; "Basque Country and Freedom") was an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization in the Basque Country (in northern Spain and southwestern France). The group was founded in 1959 and later evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group engaged in a violent campaign of bombing, assassinations and kidnappings in the Spanish Basque country and throughout Spanish territory. Its goal was gaining independence for the Basque Country. ETA is the main group within the Basque National Liberation Movement and is the most important Basque participant in the Basque conflict.

Since 1968, over 1,000 people have died in the conflict, and thousands more have been injured. ETA is proscribed as a terrorist group by Spain, the United Kingdom,France, the United States, and the European Union. This convention is followed by a plurality of domestic and international media, which also refer to the group as "terrorists". There are more than 300 imprisoned members of the group in Spain, France, and other countries.