The Spanish Interior Ministry said police arrested one man and one woman who were on Spain's most-wanted list near the town of Clermont-Ferrand in central France. The other two suspects were arrested near the Portugal-Spain border.

The Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported the two suspects caught in France were arrested when they were about to enter a secret arms' cache being observed by police. In the case near the Portugal-Spain border, police stopped a vehicle which was found to be filled with explosives.

One of the two suspects pushed the officers and escaped in a police vehicle, but was later found in Portugal.

ETA, which is considered a terrorist organization by the EU, has been engaged in a four-decade battle with French and Spanish authorities for an independent Basque state. Over 820 people have been killed by its operations.

mk/dpa/AFP

Editor: Toma Tasovac