Triple A (Spain) Explained

Colorcode:	gray
Leader:	Unknown
Motives:	Opposition to separatism, communism, secularism and democracy
Area:	Spain (Basque Country, Catalonia) (French Basque Country)
Ideology:	Spanish nationalism National Catholicism Catholic fundamentalism Anti-Catalanism
Position:	Far-right
Attacks:	El Papus bombing Ametzola bombing
Status:	Inactive
Size:	Unknown
War:	Basque conflict
Allies:	Batallón Vasco Español Guerrilleros de Cristo Rey Grupos Armados Españoles Acción Nacional Española Antiterrorismo ETA
Opponents:	Basque National Liberation Movement Euskadi Ta Askatasuna Iparretarrak Iraultza Kale borroka Hordago Euskal Zuzentasuna Communists Government of Spain

The Alianza Apostólica Anticomunista (English: Anti-Communist Apostolic Alliance) was a Spanish far-right paramilitary organisation active from 1976 to 1983, primarily in the southern Basque Country but also in the French Basque Country and Barcelona.^[1] A June 2010 report by the Office for Victims of Terrorism of the Basque Government attributed eight murders with 66 deathly victims to the group and linked it to the National Police Corps, SECED and the Civil Guard.^[2] The group attacked the satirical magazine El Papus in Barcelona, killing one person and injuring 17.^[3]

Attacks

Attacks claimed by the Anti-Communist Apostolic Alliance:

• 27 July 1976: The group claimed responsibility for kidnapping ETA political-military leader Pertur. The Batallón Vasco Español later claimed responsibility for kidnapping and murdering Pertur.^[4]
• 16 December 1976: The group threatened Catalan singer Lluis Llach, attacking with machine guns at one of his concerts.^[5]
• 25 January 1977: Triple A claimed responsibility for the Atocha massacre (later proven false) and the bombing of the Pub Santa Bárbara.
• 7 February 1977: The Sala Villaroel in Barcelona was bombed during a performance of an Alfonso Sastre play; the theatre owner was wounded.^[6]
• 17 February 1977: The Triple A Francisco Franco Command sent death threats to journalists and Basque activists.^[7]
• 21 February 1977: A death threat was sent to José Luis Martín, dean of arts at the University of Salamanca.^[8]
• 24 February 1977: A death threat was sent to Adolfo Suárez, accusing him of treason against the National Movement.^[9]
• 27 May 1977: A bomb threat was made against an Aranjuez cinema if a People's Socialist Party event scheduled to be held there was not canceled.^[10]
• 20 September 1977: A bomb exploded at the satirical magazine El Papus office in Barcelona. Juan Peñalver Sandoval was killed, and 17 people were injured. The group also threatened to attack the publications Cambio 16 and Mundo Diario and the magazine Por Favor.^[11]
• 6 October 1977: A bomb destroyed the offices of the magazine Punto y Hora de Euskal Herria in Pamplona.^[12]
• 7 October 1977: Taxi driver David Salvador Bernardo (Jonio) was murdered in Andoain, Gipuzkoa. Triple A claimed responsibility for Salvador Bernardo's murder, accusing him of being an ETA collaborator.
• 5 November 1977: Triple A attacked and robbed the headquarters of Comisiones Obreras in Bilbao.^[13]
• 6 June 1978: Death threats were sent to Diario 16 manager Miguel Ángel Aguilar.^[14]
• 1 July 1978: A bomb partially destroyed the Circulo Catalán de Madrid building, killing one person.^[15]
• 2 July 1978: Rosario Arregui Letamendi, the wife of former ETA military leader Juan José Etxabe, was murdered in Donibane Lohizune, France. The couple was shot while they were driving; Letamendi died at the scene, and Etxabe was seriously wounded. Etxabe's family had been attacked several times, and his brother was murdered three years before. Responsibility was claimed by the Triple A, in "retaliation for the latest developments in Euskadi".^[16] Five unknown assailants opened fire at Letamendi's funeral.^{[17] [18]}
• 13 September 1978: The PSOE offices in Avilés were attacked with guns, and the group stole a statue of Francisco Franco.^[19]
• 10 November 1978: A Molotov cocktail was used to attack Comisiones Obreras headquarters in Madrid.^[20]
• 5 May 1979: Triple A announced a boycott of the Basque Country.^[21]
• 6 May 1979: 17-year-old José Ramón Ansa Echevarria of Andoain, Gipuzkoa, was kidnapped and murdered at dawn as he returned home on foot after attending local festivities with friends. Ansa Echevarria was found with a bullet in his forehead in a roadside ditch between Andoain and Urnieta. Responsibility for his murder was claimed by Triple A, who accused him of being a member of ETA (an accusation denied by his family).
• 11 May 1979: A bomb destroyed the Socialist Party of Andalusia building in Seville.^[22]
• 12 June 1979: A bomb destroyed the UCD building in Granada.^[23]
• 23 April 1980: Basque painter and Euskadiko Ezkerra member Javier Aguirre Unamuno was severely injured in an attack.^[24]
• 23 July 1980: A 2kg (04lb) Goma-2 bomb exploded in the Ametzola neighborhood of Bilbao. In the explosion, two Roma died at the scene: Maria Contreras Gabarra, 17 (who was pregnant) and her brother, 12-year-old Antonio Contreras Gabarra. 59-year-old Anastasio Leal Terradillos of Cabezuela del Valle, an employee of the municipal cleaning service, was fatally injured. After the attack, there was speculation about whether the intended target was a nearby nursery owned by a councillor of Herri Batasuna or the local Batzoki.^[25]
• 27 August 1980: Jesús Maria Etxebeste was murdered in Irun.^[26]
• 19 December 1980: A bar in Lekeitio was attacked.^[27]
• 26 November 1981: El Diario de Barcelona was attacked.^[28] Death threats against Xavier Vinader.
• 2 January 1982: Pablo Garayalde was murdered in Leitza.^[26]
• 14 June 1982: Four bombs in Madrid and attacks on two buses in Torremolinos.^[29]
• 5 February 1983: A grenade attack on the US Embassy in Madrid.^[30]
• 11 February 1983: Attacks on, and threats against, left-wing students in the University of Barcelona.^[31]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Commando Adolph Hitler (AAA) Terrorist Groups TRAC. www.trackingterrorism.org. 2019-02-26.
2. http://elpais.com/diario/2010/03/21/domingo/1269147158_850215.html Luis R. Aizpeolea, "Las otras víctimas"
3. Web site: De 'El Papus' a 'Charlie'. JOSÉ A. CANO. 12 January 2015. ELMUNDO. 30 September 2015.
4. News: El Batallón Vasco-Español afirma que ha ejecutado a "Pertur". Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 30 July 1976 . 30 September 2015.
5. News: La puesta en práctica. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 16 December 1976 . 30 September 2015.
6. News: Atentado contra la "Sala Villarroel" de Barcelona. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 7 February 1977 . 30 September 2015.
7. News: Amenazas de muerte del Comando "Francisco Franco" y de la "Triple A". Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 17 February 1977 . 30 September 2015.
8. News: Salamanca: el decano de Letras, amenazado por la Triple A. Ediciones El País. El Pais. 21 February 1977 . 30 September 2015.
9. News: La "Triple A" amenaza al presidente Suárez. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 24 February 1977 . 30 September 2015.
10. News: La "triple A" amenaza al dueño de un cine en Aranjuez. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 27 May 1977 . 30 September 2015.
11. News: La "Triple A" explica los motivos del atentado contra "El Papus". Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 23 September 1977 . 30 September 2015.
12. News: Quince mil manifestantes en Pamplona por el atentado contra "Punto y Hora". Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 6 October 1977 . 30 September 2015.
13. News: Asaltada la sede de Comisiones Obreras en Bilbao. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 4 November 1977 . 30 September 2015.
14. News: El director de "Diario 16", amenazado de muerte por la "Triple A". Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 5 June 1978 . 30 September 2015.
15. http://elpais.com/diario/1978/07/04/madrid/268399458_850215.html
16. News: Asesinada la mujer del ex dirigente de ETA Juan José Etxabe. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 3 July 1978 . 30 September 2015.
17. News: Tensión en Mondragón durante el funeral de Rosario Arregui. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 7 July 1978 . 30 September 2015.
18. News: Disparos contra los asistentes a un funeral. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 5 July 1978 . 30 September 2015.
19. News: La "Triple A" roba a punta de pistola un busto de Franco en Avilés. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 13 September 1978 . 30 September 2015.
20. News: "Cóctel molotov" contra la sede de CCOO en Madrid. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 10 November 1978 . 30 September 2015.
21. News: La Triple A anuncia una campaña de boicot al País Vasco. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 4 May 1979 . 30 September 2015.
22. News: La sede del PSA en Sevilla, parcialmente destruida por la explosión de una bomba. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 11 May 1979. 30 September 2015.
23. News: Artefacto explosivo contra la sede de UCD de Granada. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 12 June 1979. 30 September 2015.
24. News: El atentado a un vasco en París reivindicado por los "ultras". Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 24 April 1981. 30 September 2015.
25. Web site: Edición del jueves, 24 julio 1980, página 4 - Hemeroteca - Lavanguardia.es. La Vanguardia Digital. lavanguardia.com. 30 September 2015.
26. News: Las otras víctimas. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 21 March 2010. 30 September 2015.
27. News: La Triple A. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 18 December 1980. 30 September 2015.
28. News: El atentado contra "Diario de Barcelona", reivindicado por la Triple A. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 28 November 1981. 30 September 2015.
29. News: La policía sospecha de la extrema derecha como autora de las explosiones ocurridas ayer en Madrid. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 14 June 1982. 30 September 2015.
30. News: El atentado contra la Embajada norteamericana en Madrid. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 4 February 1983. 30 September 2015.
31. News: Paro en la Universidad de Barcelona por una agresión de 'ultras' a un estudiante. Ediciones El País. EL PAÍS. 10 February 1983. 30 September 2015.