Spain raises terrorism alert level after killing blamed on Basque separatist group ETA

Spain raises terrorism alert level

MADRID — Spain has raised its terrorism alert level after Basque separatists were blamed for killing a policeman in France last week.

The Interior Ministry says the level is being raised from a “low intensity” alert to “high intensity” within stage 2 of the four-stage alert scale.

It cited “recent events and available information.” The announcement came in a ministry statement issued Monday night.

Spain had raised the alert level to stage 2 in late December as the country prepared to take over the European Union’s rotating presidency. The ministry said the new upgrade will remain in force until that stint finishes at the end of June.

France and Spain have blamed ETA for the killing of a French police officer last Tuesday in a shootout in a Paris suburb.