Cablegate: Visas Viper Submission

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

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

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