Amnestic's quote does not describe who they are.
"Basque country" is currently south-western France and north-eastern Spain, but the civilisation is older than either of those nations, they have their own language and there was a fairly advanced and progressive culture there back in the days of Franks, Gauls, Bretons, al-Andalus and so on.
ETA want independence for their region. They get a lot of sympathy further east in Catalan country, whether you call it Catalayud or Catalunya. The signs north of the mountains point to "Irunea / Pampelone", those being the French spellings, but south of the Pyrennees they point to "Iruña / @@@@@@@@" because the name of the Spanish town that grew up around the Roman fort built next to the Basque village of Iruña has been sprayed out.
BBC:
Who are Eta? [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3500728.stm]
Euskadi Ta Azkatasuna, Eta, whose name stands for Basque Homeland and Freedom, first emerged in the 1960s as a student resistance movement bitterly opposed to General Franco's repressive military dictatorship.
Under Franco the Basque language was banned, their distinctive culture suppressed, and intellectuals imprisoned and tortured for their political and cultural beliefs.
The Basque country saw some of the fiercest resistance to Franco. His death in 1975 changed all that, and the transition to democracy brought the region of two million people home rule.
But despite the fact that Spain's Basque country today enjoys more autonomy than any other - it has its own parliament, police force, controls education and collects its own taxes - Eta and its hardline supporters have remained determined to push for full independence.
It's their fiftieth birthday!
SPAIN 31 Jul 2009 ETA, Basque separatist movement, founded 50 years ago [http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/07/31/spain-31-jul-2009-eta-basque-separatist-movement-founded-50-years-ago/index.php]
Initially ETA sought its goals through political means, but within a decade it resorted to violence. The group's first killing took place in August 1968, when members of the group shot and killed a police officer. More than 90 percent of its victims have been killed since Franco died in 1975 and Spain returned to Europe's democratic fold after four decades of isolation.
It's a lovely region with gorgeous scenery and wines, and apparently perfectly safe. A Catalan accent might be a better idea than a Madrid one if you're going, though.
