US embassy cable - 04MADRID1523

UNCLAS MADRID 001523 
 
SIPDIS 
 
VISAS VIPER 
 
DEPT FOR CA/VO/L/C AND INR/IC/TIPOFF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS, KVPR, PTER, ASEC, CMGT, PINR, PREL, SP 
(ESPARZA LURI, FELIX IGNACIO ET AL) 
SUBJECT:  VISAS VIPER SUBMISSION 
 
 
1.   POST WISHES TO SUBMIT AND/OR UPDATE THE FOLLOWING 
  NAMES AND INFORMATION TO CLASS IN ACCORDANCE WITH VIPER 
  PROCEDURES: 
 
2.   SPANISH DAILY PRESS OF APRIL 3, 2004 AND 
  SUBSEQUENT DAYS REPORTED FRENCH POLICE IN CONJUNCTION 
  WITH SPANISH GUARDIA CIVIL PROCEEDED TO THE ARREST OF 
  THE ALLEGED ETA LEADERSHIP MEMBER FELIX IGNACIO ESPARZA 
  LURI, A VETERAN MEMBER OF ETA ALLEGEDLY RESPONSIBLE FOR 
  THE ETA'S LOGISTICS AND COORDINATOR OF SOME TERRORIST 
  OPERATIONS.  SPANISH POLICE WANT HIM FOR HIS 
  INVOLVEMENT IN SEVEN MURDERS AND A HIJACKING.  THE 
  ARREST TOOK PLACE IN SAINT-PAUL-LES-DAX, LES LANDES, 
  FRANCE, IN THE GARAGE OF THE APARTMENT THAT HE RENTED 
  UNDER THE FALSELY CLAIM THAT THE WAS A MEMBER OF THE 
  SPANISH GUARDIA CIVIL INTELLIGENCE SERVICE.  AT THE 
  TIME OF ARREST ESPARZA LURI WAS IN POSSESSION OF A 
  BERETA 9MM PISTOL AND BEARING FALSE IDENTIFICATION. 
  POLICE SEIZED A PERSONAL COMPUTER, WHICH IS BEING 
  ANALYZED, ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS TO BE USED IN 
  CONJUNCTION WITH EXPLOSIVES, AND SEVERAL ETA'S INTERNAL 
  PUBLICATIONS. 
 
3.   NAME: ESPARZA LURI, FELIX IGNACIO 
 
  -    ALIAS:  "NAVARRO" "GABA" AND "ANA" 
-    GENDER:  MALE 
-    DPOB: JAN. 18, 1963, PAMPLONA, NAVARRA, SPAIN 
-    CLASS: POSITIVE 
 
4.   AS A RESULT OF THE ESPARZA LURI'S DETENTION, 
  FRENCH/SPANISH POLICE INVESTIGATIONS CONDUCTED INTO THE 
  ARREST OF THE ALLEGED ETA "NUMBER TWO" FELIX ALBERTO 
  LOPEZ DE LA CALLE GAUNA, ALIAS "MOBUTU" ANOTHER VETERAN 
  MEMBER OF THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, ON THE RUN IN 
  FRANCE SINCE 2000 WHEN HE ESCAPED HOUSE ARREST AT A 
  HOTEL IN THE SOUTHWESTERN FRENCH TOWN OF BAYONNE. 
  SPANISH POLICE ATTRIBUTES TO LOPEZ DE LA CALLE THE 
  COORDINATION OF ETA'S NETWORK APPARATUS.  HE STEPPED UP 
  THE ORGANIZATION LEADERSHIP AFTER THE CAPTURE OF ETA 
  LEADERSHIP AND/OR SENIOR MEMBERS IN BIDART, FRANCE IN 
  1992.  LOPEZ DE LA CALLE WAS ARRESTED IN FRANCE IN 1994 
  AND RECEIVED A SEVEN-YEAR SENTENCE FOR TERRORIST 
  ASSOCIATION AS WELL AS A DEPORTATION ORDER.  IN 2000 HE 
  WAS PROVISIONALY RELEASED AND CONFINED UNDER 
  SURVEILLANCE WHILE PROCEEDING WITH DEPORTATION 
  PROCEDURES, WHEN HE ESCAPED FROM HIS HOUSE ARREST. IN 
  THE OPERATION, POLICE ALSO ARRESTED HIS FRIEND, 
  MERCEDES CHIVITE BERANGO, ANOTHER VETERAN MEMBER OF ETA 
  WHO ALLEGED PARTICIPATED IN THE ASSASINATIONS OF TWO 
  SPANISH MILITARY OFFICERS IN MAY AND JUNE 1994, WHEN 
  SHE WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE ETA'S "COMMANDO 
  MADRID". 
 
5.   NAME:  LOPEZ DE LA CALLE GAUNA, FELIX ALBERTO 
 
  -    ALIAS:  "MOBUTU", "MOGUTU", "ITURRIA", "ANTOINE" 
-    GENDER: MALE 
-    MAY 10, 1960, VITORIA, ALAVA, SPAIN 
-    CLASS: POSITIVE 
 
6.   NAME: CHIVITE BERANGO, MARIA MERCEDES 
 
  -    ALIAS: "MERTXE" 
-    GENDER: FEMALE 
-    DPOB: APR. 23, 1959, LOGRONO, SPAIN 
-    CLASS: POSITIVE 
 
ARGYROS