José Miguel Beñaran Ordeñana
Encyclopedia
José Miguel Beñaran Ordeñana (1949, Arrigorriaga
, Biscay
, Spain
– 21 December 1978, Anglet
, France
) was a Basque
activist and a key figure in the political evolution of the Basque separatist organization Euskadi ta Askatasuna (ETA). Often known by his nom de guerre Argala (Slim), he took part in the so called Operation Ogre, which consisted in the assassination of Luis Carrero Blanco
, Franco
's Prime Minister in 1973. Five years later, he was in turn assassinated by a car bomb in Anglet in France by a group directed by far right people inside the Spanish Navy (including an official of the SECED secret service and another of the Naval military intelligence agency, Servicio de Inteligencia Naval and the other belonging to the Alto Estado Mayor). This group reportedly received assistance from people such as former OAS member Jean Pierre Cherid
, former Triple A Argentine member José María Boccardo and Italian neofascist Mario Ricci, member of Avanguardia Nazionale.
, in Biscay
, close to the industrialized Bilbao, but not far from Arratia, a Valley with a typical Basque style of life. His mother, Felicidad Ordeñana Uriarte was from Arantzazu
, she was Basque speaker, but she only spoke Spanish
at home. His father Pablo Beñaran Ormazabal was from Arrigorriaga
, Basque nationalist, he could not speak Basque, even though his father was a Basque speaker. They had four children: Jose Migel (1949), Maite (1951), Iñaki (1952) and Pablol (1955).
He lived in two very different atmospheres: The Franquist
school and the Basque nationalist home. Worker's strikes and police repression in the mid-1960s led to his class system-related concerns. He studied marxist theories since young.
Basque nationalism
grew strong in the 1960s. Ikastola
s, festivals, Basque popular lessons... Jose Migel Beñaran joined this movement enthusiastically. In 1968 he joined ETA
, together with some other friends. He begun studying engineering, but he quit before finishing it and began working in a bank.. He then began studying human sciences.
In one moment he had been very dubious about leaving the organization, as both parents were ill, his work, his studies, in 1970 his father died. But in May 1970, the police got his name and had to scape. He was 21 years old.
and a family gave him shelter there. He took the nickname Iñaki and lived there and in some other parts during some years, always hidden.
In 1969 almost the complete ETA's direction was arrested in Bilbao
and Cantabria
, and different arguments began inside the organization. In the meeting held in Itsasu three different movements were divided inside the organization: ETA V, ETA VI and Celulas Rojas.
Those times Argala was in the Cultural Front. He did not assist the Itsasu Assembly and at first he kept on in his cultural front, in ETA VI's pattern.
In December 1970 happened the Process of Burgos. On 2 December, ETA V kidnapped the Behil consul in Donostia. ETA VI organized Operación Botella, an operation to help scape some prisoners. Argala joined the operation and they dug a hole right to the prison. When they were under the building, they did not succeed, since they had to scape when they saw that they could not break a wall.
Argala joined ETA V. in January 1971, when they were clearer which were every group's ideas and positions. Argala helped militants like Txomin Iturbe and Eustakio Mendizabal build a theory based in Marxist theories.. He spent some time in Paris
, as organizer and then he went back to Biscay
as leader of the Cultural Front. His lived his life between the towns of Eibar
and Elgoibar
.
But being involved in the Cultural Front did not mean that he was not taking part in the Militar Front. On 30 September 1971 he participated in the assault of Banco de Vizcaya together with Eustakio Mendizabal and some other members. They got 10 million peseta
s.
In 1971 ETA began creating sanctuaries in Madrid, where they could contact some other left-wing groups, looking for a more anonymous and more secure rearguard, and if there was any option, to try to help create a local armed organization in Madrid. Argala made many trips to the Francoist state's capital. They refused the idea of creating a local armed group in a short period of time, and they began to consider making some actions in Madrid. It was here that Argala made his first contacts with Alfonso Sastre
and Eva Forest.
, Biscay
. The workers of Precicontrol were on strike, and some of them in hunger strike
in the church of Eibar
, including some friends of Argala. ETA wanted to promote workers' conditions and they pointed which were the workers' demands. They declared that if the direction of the enterprise did not fulfill this requirements, they would kill Zabala on the 28th January. Finally, workers' requirements were fulfilled and they freed Zabala on 22 January.
In October 1972, ETA V organized an assembly trying to make clear which was each faction's position and to try to unite them again in an organization. The meeting was going to be in Hasparren
, in the Northern Basque Country
. Argala and some other members of the Cultural Front, decided not to cross the Spanish-French border, arguing security reasons. In fact, the Guardia Civil seized the group Argala was supposed to join and opened fire. They killed Jonan Aranguren Iharra and the rest of the group managed to scape. Not to assist the meeting was considered a discipline mistake and they decided to leave Argala and Wilson without any responsibility in the organization. The assembly pointed that they were forbidden to live in Southern Basque Country (the Spanish side of the Basque Country)and to make any politically-related work.
Argala and Wilson had to live in Madrid. They already had information about Luis Carrero Blanco
and they were discussing on kidnapping him to exchange his freedom with all prisoners' freedom. They planned it, more people went to Madrid and for May 1973 everything was ready. Nevertheless, they had some problems and the kidnapping was delayed. Later on the ETA member Txikia was killed in Algorta
and then, the direction of the organization decided to delay the kidnap. From that moment on, the group working in Madrid was called the Txikia Command. Argala was also given permission to meet his family.
Carrero Blanco was named president of the Spanish government
and took more security measures. When the commando saw they would have difficulties to kidnap Carrero Blanco they tried to kidnap the minister of commerce Alberto Ullastres
, but he was out when a commando formed by some ETA members went to his house on 7 November.
As they had difficulties to reach Carrero Blanco and kidnap him, they began planning to execute him. The Commando Txikia also was considering other options: Killing Manuel Fraga, killing Alfredo Semprum, making a hole in a wall in the prison of Segovia
to help scape anti-Franco prisoners... In the 25th September, they assaulted an arm-store and they scattered propaganda of an invented revolutionary group.
, but I do know that the Americans did not know what for they would be used. It was a personal favor they made to Pedro el Marino" (alias Pedro Martínez) who provided the explosives. Argala's assassination was reinvidicated by the Batallón Vasco Español
(BVE). However, according to Leonidas, "BVE, ATE
or "Triple A
" are only sigles", conveniently used according to each situation.
Arrigorriaga
Arrigorriaga is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. Arrigorriaga is located 7 km south of Bilbao and is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area...
, Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
– 21 December 1978, Anglet
Anglet
Anglet is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in Aquitaine in south-western France. The town's name is pronounced [ãglet]; i.e...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) was a Basque
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
activist and a key figure in the political evolution of the Basque separatist organization Euskadi ta Askatasuna (ETA). Often known by his nom de guerre Argala (Slim), he took part in the so called Operation Ogre, which consisted in the assassination of Luis Carrero Blanco
Luis Carrero Blanco
Don Luis Carrero Blanco, 1st Duke of Carrero Blanco, Grandee of Spain was a Spanish admiral and long-time confidant of dictator Francisco Franco.- Biography :...
, Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's Prime Minister in 1973. Five years later, he was in turn assassinated by a car bomb in Anglet in France by a group directed by far right people inside the Spanish Navy (including an official of the SECED secret service and another of the Naval military intelligence agency, Servicio de Inteligencia Naval and the other belonging to the Alto Estado Mayor). This group reportedly received assistance from people such as former OAS member Jean Pierre Cherid
Jean Pierre Cherid
Jean-Pierre Cherid was a far right French activist and later mercenary of Moroccan descent. A former French paratrooper, he first became a member of the Organisation de l'armée secrète during the Algerian War .Afterwards, Cherid appeared in Spain in 1976...
, former Triple A Argentine member José María Boccardo and Italian neofascist Mario Ricci, member of Avanguardia Nazionale.
Biography
He was born in ArrigorriagaArrigorriaga
Arrigorriaga is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. Arrigorriaga is located 7 km south of Bilbao and is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area...
, in Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
, close to the industrialized Bilbao, but not far from Arratia, a Valley with a typical Basque style of life. His mother, Felicidad Ordeñana Uriarte was from Arantzazu
Arantzazu
Arantzazu is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-External links:*...
, she was Basque speaker, but she only spoke Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
at home. His father Pablo Beñaran Ormazabal was from Arrigorriaga
Arrigorriaga
Arrigorriaga is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. Arrigorriaga is located 7 km south of Bilbao and is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area...
, Basque nationalist, he could not speak Basque, even though his father was a Basque speaker. They had four children: Jose Migel (1949), Maite (1951), Iñaki (1952) and Pablol (1955).
He lived in two very different atmospheres: The Franquist
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
school and the Basque nationalist home. Worker's strikes and police repression in the mid-1960s led to his class system-related concerns. He studied marxist theories since young.
Basque nationalism
Basque nationalism
Basque nationalism is a political movement advocating for either further political autonomy or, chiefly, full independence of the Basque Country in the wider sense...
grew strong in the 1960s. Ikastola
Ikastola
An Ikastola is a type of primary and secondary school in the Basque Autonomous Community, Navarre and the French Basque Country in which pupils are taught either entirely or predominantly in the Basque language...
s, festivals, Basque popular lessons... Jose Migel Beñaran joined this movement enthusiastically. In 1968 he joined ETA
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
, together with some other friends. He begun studying engineering, but he quit before finishing it and began working in a bank.. He then began studying human sciences.
In one moment he had been very dubious about leaving the organization, as both parents were ill, his work, his studies, in 1970 his father died. But in May 1970, the police got his name and had to scape. He was 21 years old.
Clandestinity
He went to OñatiOñati
Oñati is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, in the north of Spain. It has a population of approximately 10,500 and lies in a valley in the center of the Basque country. It lies about 40 km south of the Bay of Biscay and is about 236 m...
and a family gave him shelter there. He took the nickname Iñaki and lived there and in some other parts during some years, always hidden.
In 1969 almost the complete ETA's direction was arrested in Bilbao
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
and Cantabria
Cantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
, and different arguments began inside the organization. In the meeting held in Itsasu three different movements were divided inside the organization: ETA V, ETA VI and Celulas Rojas.
Those times Argala was in the Cultural Front. He did not assist the Itsasu Assembly and at first he kept on in his cultural front, in ETA VI's pattern.
In December 1970 happened the Process of Burgos. On 2 December, ETA V kidnapped the Behil consul in Donostia. ETA VI organized Operación Botella, an operation to help scape some prisoners. Argala joined the operation and they dug a hole right to the prison. When they were under the building, they did not succeed, since they had to scape when they saw that they could not break a wall.
Argala joined ETA V. in January 1971, when they were clearer which were every group's ideas and positions. Argala helped militants like Txomin Iturbe and Eustakio Mendizabal build a theory based in Marxist theories.. He spent some time in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, as organizer and then he went back to Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
as leader of the Cultural Front. His lived his life between the towns of Eibar
Éibar
Eibar is a city and municipality within the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country of Spain. The city was chartered by Alfonso XI of Castile in 1346...
and Elgoibar
Elgoibar
Elgoibar is an industrial town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain.It is located in a valley and it is traversed by the Deba river....
.
But being involved in the Cultural Front did not mean that he was not taking part in the Militar Front. On 30 September 1971 he participated in the assault of Banco de Vizcaya together with Eustakio Mendizabal and some other members. They got 10 million peseta
Spanish peseta
The peseta was the currency of Spain between 1869 and 2002. Along with the French franc, it was also a de facto currency used in Andorra .- Etymology :...
s.
In 1971 ETA began creating sanctuaries in Madrid, where they could contact some other left-wing groups, looking for a more anonymous and more secure rearguard, and if there was any option, to try to help create a local armed organization in Madrid. Argala made many trips to the Francoist state's capital. They refused the idea of creating a local armed group in a short period of time, and they began to consider making some actions in Madrid. It was here that Argala made his first contacts with Alfonso Sastre
Alfonso Sastre
Alfonso Sastre is a Spanish playwright, essayist, and critic. He was an outspoken critic of censorship during the reign of General Francisco Franco...
and Eva Forest.
First military actions
On 19 January 1972, an ETA group formed by Txomin Iturbe, Mikel Lujua, Tomas Perez Revilla and Argala himself, kidnapped the businessman Lorenzo Zabala Suinaga in AbadiñoAbadiño
Abadiño is a town located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the north of Spain, about 35 km from the provincial capital of Bilbao....
, Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
. The workers of Precicontrol were on strike, and some of them in hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
in the church of Eibar
Éibar
Eibar is a city and municipality within the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country of Spain. The city was chartered by Alfonso XI of Castile in 1346...
, including some friends of Argala. ETA wanted to promote workers' conditions and they pointed which were the workers' demands. They declared that if the direction of the enterprise did not fulfill this requirements, they would kill Zabala on the 28th January. Finally, workers' requirements were fulfilled and they freed Zabala on 22 January.
In October 1972, ETA V organized an assembly trying to make clear which was each faction's position and to try to unite them again in an organization. The meeting was going to be in Hasparren
Hasparren
Hasparren is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.The name means 'before or down the rock' in Basque. A resident of Hasparren is known as a 'Haspandar'.-External links:...
, in the Northern Basque Country
Northern Basque Country
The French Basque Country or Northern Basque Country situated within the western part of the French department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques constitutes the north-eastern part of the Basque Country....
. Argala and some other members of the Cultural Front, decided not to cross the Spanish-French border, arguing security reasons. In fact, the Guardia Civil seized the group Argala was supposed to join and opened fire. They killed Jonan Aranguren Iharra and the rest of the group managed to scape. Not to assist the meeting was considered a discipline mistake and they decided to leave Argala and Wilson without any responsibility in the organization. The assembly pointed that they were forbidden to live in Southern Basque Country (the Spanish side of the Basque Country)and to make any politically-related work.
Argala and Wilson had to live in Madrid. They already had information about Luis Carrero Blanco
Luis Carrero Blanco
Don Luis Carrero Blanco, 1st Duke of Carrero Blanco, Grandee of Spain was a Spanish admiral and long-time confidant of dictator Francisco Franco.- Biography :...
and they were discussing on kidnapping him to exchange his freedom with all prisoners' freedom. They planned it, more people went to Madrid and for May 1973 everything was ready. Nevertheless, they had some problems and the kidnapping was delayed. Later on the ETA member Txikia was killed in Algorta
Algorta
Algorta is a locality within the municipality of Getxo, in the province of Biscay, Basque Country, Spain. In 1996, the population of Algorta was 35,600....
and then, the direction of the organization decided to delay the kidnap. From that moment on, the group working in Madrid was called the Txikia Command. Argala was also given permission to meet his family.
Carrero Blanco was named president of the Spanish government
Spanish Government
Spain is a constitutional monarchy whose government is defined by the Constitution of Spain. This was approved by a general referendum of the people of Spain in 1978...
and took more security measures. When the commando saw they would have difficulties to kidnap Carrero Blanco they tried to kidnap the minister of commerce Alberto Ullastres
Alberto Ullastres
Alberto Ullastres was Spain's Minister of Economy and Ambassador to the European Economic Community under General Franco...
, but he was out when a commando formed by some ETA members went to his house on 7 November.
As they had difficulties to reach Carrero Blanco and kidnap him, they began planning to execute him. The Commando Txikia also was considering other options: Killing Manuel Fraga, killing Alfredo Semprum, making a hole in a wall in the prison of Segovia
Segovia
Segovia is a city in Spain, the capital of Segovia Province in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is situated north of Madrid, 30 minutes by high speed train. The municipality counts some 55,500 inhabitants.-Etymology:...
to help scape anti-Franco prisoners... In the 25th September, they assaulted an arm-store and they scattered propaganda of an invented revolutionary group.
1978 assassination
Argala was the only etarra who could identify the mysterious man who handed up to ETA Carrero Blanco's schedule and itinerary. According to Leonidas, former member of the Spanish Army who participated to the bombing against Argala, "the explosives came from a North-American base. I don't remember with exactitude if it was from Torrejón or RotaRota, Spain
-External references:*, official website * On-line since 1999! News, premiere information, pictures, weather, etc. Into Spanish, English... ****- External links :...
, but I do know that the Americans did not know what for they would be used. It was a personal favor they made to Pedro el Marino" (alias Pedro Martínez) who provided the explosives. Argala's assassination was reinvidicated by the Batallón Vasco Español
Batallón Vasco Español
The Batallón Vasco Español was a Spanish Basque right-wing paramilitary group active from 1975 to 1981, primarily in French Basque Country.The BVE employed violence mainly against Basque separatist groups....
(BVE). However, according to Leonidas, "BVE, ATE
Ate
Atë or Aite a Greek word for "ruin, folly, delusion", is the action performed by the hero, usually because of hubris, that leads to his or her death or downfall. There is also a goddess by that name in Greek mythology, a personification of the same.In Homer's Iliad she is called eldest daughter...
or "Triple A
Alianza Anticomunista Argentina
The Argentine Anticommunist Alliance was a right-wing death squad active in Argentina during the mid-1970s, particularly active under Isabel Perón's rule . Initially associated with the Peronist right, the organisation was bitterly in conflict with the Peronist left and other left organizations...
" are only sigles", conveniently used according to each situation.