The EFAy condemn the escalation of the Basque conflict that left one member of the Guardia Civil dead and another seriously injured in the northern Basque town of Capbreton, 20 km from Bayonne/Biarritz in the state of France on Saturday 1st December.

It is believed that those responsible belonged to the Basque terrorist group ETA and is the first fatal attack in the French state since 1976. The two victims were found in an unmarked car outside a café and were on an undercover operation with the French police authorities. It is thought that the victims were in the same café as their killers, but after recognising each other the Guardia Civil left, only to be followed by the gunmen and killed.

Two men and a woman are thought to be responsible for the attack and are being looked for by the French police. If ETA is responsible, the attack is the first fatal killing since the official end of the cease fire in June 2007, although there have also been a number of failed attacks by ETA since that time.

French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, said at a press conference on the weekend:

"By all accounts, this is something that was done in cold blood and it's the first time that that has happened."