Spanish judge wants to question ex-Colombian rebels over links to Basque militants

Spain wants to question Colombian rebels

MADRID — A court official in Spain says a judge wants to question ex-members of Colombia’s FARC rebels to investigate that organization’s links to the Basque separatist group ETA.

The official says Judge Eloy Velasco also wants to see copies of testimony given by two detained ETA members who said they took a weapons training course in 2008 in Venezuela, which Colombia says has served as a haven for FARC.

Velasco said Wednesday he will send Spanish police to Colombia soon to interrogate nine former members of the FARC who have laid down arms.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with court rules.

Spain’s interior minister said Tuesday he accepted Venezuela’s assertion that it has no links to the Basque group but that the two ETA members probably did train in that country.