ETA planned to kill judge with poison

BASQUE militants plotted to kill Spain's most prominent judge with poisoned cognac, it was reported yesterday.

The El Pais newspaper said the plan was revealed in documents seized when French police arrested Jurdan Martitegi Lizaso, the suspected leader of separatist group ETA, in April.

The paper quoted unidentified police officials as saying the idea was to send Judge Baltasar Garzon a poisoned bottle of expensive cognac and a snifter to his office at the National Court, along with a card saying the gift was from a law student who admired the judge's work in fighting ETA and prosecuting human rights abuses.

Mr Garzon has handled many cases involving ETA and politicians linked to it.

The newspaper reported that a document seized from Martitegi Lizaso said fooling court security measures and killing Garzon "would be a great achievement for the organisation".