Majorca is sealed off after bombing

Jul 30 2009

Police have sealed off the holiday island of Majorca after two officers were killed in a suspected ETA bomb attack.

The airport and seaports were closed, leaving tourists trapped, after the second bombing aimed at Spanish police in two days.

The island's Interior Ministry said: "As a result of the attack state security forces have sealed off the island to avoid the escape of the terrorists."

The Civil Guard said the bomb was planted in the Palmanova beach resort area, south-west of the holiday island's capital of Palma.

It exploded around lunchtime on Thursday outside offices run by the Civil Guard, a few miles from where Spain's royal family is on holiday.

Police immediately launched "Operation Cage" to close the ports and airport to prevent the bombers' escape.

The move, in peak holiday season, caused chaos and was a further blow to the island's tourist-based economy.

Security forces believe ETA, weakened by arrests of top leaders, is putting on a show of force to prove it is still able to strike.

Wednesday's blast injured around 60 people at a police barracks in the northern city of Burgos.

ETA has killed more than 825 people since it launched a campaign in 1968 for an independent homeland in Basque region of northern Spain.