Four hurt in Madrid airport bomb, caller says ETA

MADRID, Dec 30 (Reuters) A car bomb exploded at Madrid's international airport injuring four people today after an anonymous warning by telephone and a second call claiming it was the work of Basque rebels ETA, Spanish authorities said.

Passengers at the ultra-modern Terminal Four said the departure hall filled with smoke after the explosion in a nearby parking lot which could mark the end of a ceasefire declared by ETA in March after four decades of armed struggle for Basque Country independence.

The bomb exploded at about 1330 hrs, causing minor injuries to four people including two police officers and a taxi driver, emergency services said, and sending a huge pall of smoke over the terminal at Barajas Airport.

While witnesses said they were evacuated after the explosion, authorities received the first warning at about 1230 hrs after a man with a Basque accent called Basque traffic authorities to warn them of a bomb in a purple Renault Traffic van in a roofed parking area.

Shortly after, a separate caller to emergency services said the bomb had been planted by ETA, a spokesman for the Basque regional government said.

The government would not confirm ETA was responsible and a spokeswoman said it would make a statement later on Saturday.

But an end to ETA's ceasefire would be a major blow to Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who in June announced the start of a peace process to end the Basque conflict.

Several Saturday newspapers, printed before the blast had front page stories about Zapatero saying he was optimistic about the talks, which have been criticised by the conservative opposition.

Stranded passengers were hurried out on to the airport runway, together with their luggage.

An airport worker told radio that the explosion brought down part of the parking lot roof.

''I was just getting my ticket when suddenly there was a pretty big explosion and it filled the whole hall with smoke, with a strong burning smell. Then the security people came, and the Civil Guard, and told us we had to evacuate,'' one passenger said.

Terminal Four suspended all flights after the attack, but other terminals continued operating.

ETA has killed more than 800 people during its armed struggle.

The group said in November that it would break off contacts with the authorities unless there was quick progress in separate talks among political parties in the Basque Country over the region's future.

But these talks have bogged down over issues including the continued ban on ETA's political party ally Batasuna as well as vandalism and low-level political violence by ETA supporters in the Basque Country.

Spanish media reports said ETA had also demanded the government move ETA prisoners closer to their homes and ease police pressure on the ETA members still at liberty.

REUTERS AMJ BD1805