An investigation launched by the Spanish National Court has drawn attention to an unusual financing scheme for the ETA terrorist organization. At the center of the case is Alfonso Echegaray Achirica, who, according to investigators, lived for more than 30 years in the African country of São Tomé and Príncipe. His activities, including establishing a farm, are viewed as an attempt to provide financial support for fugitive members of the group. For Spanish society, this case matters not only because of the possible revival of old terrorist connections, but also due to new risks linked to international networks of shelter and financing.
In recent years, Spain has faced the need to rethink its measures against extremism, especially after it became clear that certain ETA members continue to coordinate their activities from abroad. According to russpain.com, such networks of shelter and support may persist even years after the organization’s official dissolution. This presents additional challenges for the country’s law enforcement and judicial system.
Covert support network
The investigation established that Etxegarai Achirika was a key figure in ETA’s so-called “reception apparatus,” responsible for ensuring the security and living arrangements of fugitives from the organization. His role included not only providing safe houses, but also setting up financial channels, notably through the creation of farming operations in Africa. In particular, letters discovered and sent from São Tomé and Príncipe detailed plans for a farm, with its profits potentially funneled to the terrorist network.
These documents were found on the computer of another senior ETA member, allowing investigators to trace the chain of contacts and financial flows. Notably, such schemes were not limited to Africa—the safehouse network extended to Latin America and Europe. In 2019, Etxegarai Achirika left São Tomé and Príncipe and moved to France, where, according to investigators, he currently resides.
Deportation history and international agreements
In the 1980s and 1990s, the Spanish government actively sought ways to remove ETA members from the country. After Algeria ceased to be a safe haven, an agreement was reached with the authorities of São Tomé and Príncipe to accommodate fugitive militants in exchange for financial assistance. During this period, Etxegarai Achirika was deported first to France, then to Ecuador, and later to the African archipelago, where he lived for more than three decades.
In 2011, Etxegarai Atxirika’s name appeared on the US State Department’s list of dangerous terrorists. While living abroad, he not only maintained contacts with other ETA members but also contributed to building infrastructure to shelter them. According to Dignidad y Justicia, his activities continued even after ETA officially announced the end of its armed struggle in 2011.
Evidence and new details
A key element in the investigation was a series of letters sent by Etxegarai Atxirika from São Tomé and Príncipe to ETA leadership. These letters discussed the creation of a farm that could serve as a source of income for the organization. Investigators found this correspondence during a search of another ETA leader, which helped piece together a clearer picture of the events.
The victims’ association Dignidad y Justicia claims that Etxegarai Atxirika was responsible for providing shelter and forged documents to new group members arriving in Paris. His part in organizing safe havens and coordinating the actions of fugitive terrorists is considered key. In 2013, he participated in a press conference in Bayonne (France) that discussed the return of ETA’s fugitives to the Basque Country.
Context and consequences
In recent years, Spanish authorities have recorded that some former ETA members continue to hide in various countries, including Venezuela, France, Mexico, and Cuba. According to a victims’ association, at least eleven people linked to the organization are currently living in France alone. There are also individuals in other Latin American and African countries, complicating efforts to extradite them and bring them to justice.
In 2020, the documentary Caminho Longe was screened at the San Sebastián Film Festival. It was dedicated to the lives of Etxegarai Atxirika and his partner in São Tomé and Príncipe. The film ended with their move to Paris, marking the close of one of the longest periods of an ETA member living in hiding outside Spain. Reflecting on other high-profile investigations, it is worth noting that authorities in Aragón have recently also examined the activities of farming operations suspected of violations and illegal practices, as covered in detail in the report on the pig farm scandal in Teruel (details on the Aragón investigation).
Overall, the practice of harboring and supporting extremist groups abroad remains one of the most challenging problems for Spanish law enforcement. In recent years, attention to such networks has only increased, especially amid new challenges related to international security and the fight against terrorism.
