Two suspected members of the Basque separatist group ETA were arrested earlier on Tuesday in a joint raid with French police in southern France, said the Spanish Interior Ministry on Tuesday.

The interior ministry identified one as Asier Larrinaga Rodriguez and the other as Garikoitz Echeberria.

These have been the first arrests of suspected ETA militants since the Madrid airport bomb attack on Dec. 30, 2006, which claimed two lives and destroyed a five story car park at Madrid's Terminal 4.

The Spanish authorities have intensified their crackdown upon the separatist group ever since.

On Jan. 5, police seized stashes of up to 180 kg of explosives, which could be used for bombs.

Also on Tuesday, the Basque separatist group admitted responsibility for the airport bomb attack.

Source: Xinhua