Spain's interior ministry said it had raised its terrorism alert to the level of two on a scale of four as a precautionary measure.

"There exists a probable risk of an attack due to the special significance of the Christmas holiday period, Spain's upcoming EU presidency, and after an evaluation of the risks of a terrorist threat at home conducted by Spain's armed and security forces," the ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday.

The statement also noted the "persistent international terrorist threat" after the alleged attempt to blow up a Delta plane headed for Detroit on December 25.

"ETA will attempt to prove it is still alive"

The move came after Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba on Monday warned that the Basque separatist group ETA was planning attacks and kidnappings during Spain's upcoming six-month EU presidency.

"ETA has been squeezed by the police and justice systems, it's societally isolated, it's been put under international pressure, especially by France, and it's divided internally," the minister said.

"Under these conditions, it can be expected that ETA will attempt to prove it is still alive."

ETA is considered a terrorist organization by Spain as well as the EU and the US. The group is held responsible for 828 deaths in the last four decades in their campaign for independent in the Basque region of northern Spain and southwest France.


ai/AFP/Reuters/dpa
Editor: Chuck Penfold