Leonor and her husband had talked about the possibility of an attack and the consequences many times. On 24th May 1989, ETA murdered her husband, a National Police bomb disposal expert, Manuel Jódar. One of the ways in which Leonor has rebuilt her life has been by taking on a commitment to peace in the Basque Country through a number of groups, such as AVT and initiatives like Glencree.

Felipe Juaristi, writer by profession, met the Basque folk-singer Imanol Larzabal in his youth, when they went underground in the 'anti-Franco' period. They forged a friendship that continued until Imanol died in 2004. The violence that existed in the Basque Country led Imanol (that was ideologically close to ETA) to hold a public position against terror. In the year 2000, tired of the stifling atmosphere that existed in the Basque Country, Imanol changed his life and went to live in Orihuela (Alicante), where he spent his last years.

On 22nd November 1993, ETA murdered Rosa Rodero's husband, Joseba Goikoetxea, Sergeant Major in the "ertzaina" (regional police force) who, at the time, was not on active service. Rodero spent seven years dedicated to bringing up their children. Once she managed to stabilize their lives, she fell into a deep depression.

Teo Uriarte moved to the Basque Country with his family when he was eight years old because his father, who was originally from Bilbao, found a job in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Eleven years later, in 1964, Teo Uriarte joined ETA. In 1969 Teo Uriarte was arrested and became one of 16 defendants in the so-called Burgos Case (Proceso de Burgos). Teo Uriarte remained in prison with Mario Onaindia until the 1977 amnesty. Both promoted the dissolution of "ETA politico-militar" and were two of the founders of the political party Euskadiko Ezkerra (EE). His decision to abandon the world of violence and his subsequent struggle against that world meant that he lived under the threat of terrorist attacks and required a bodyguard.

Luis Domínguez, originally from a town in Salamanca, had been living in Bergara for 25 years; a town in which he had made his home with his wife, Arrate Zurutuza, and five children, of which the eldest is Luis Ignacio Domíngez. On 25th January 1980, aged 39, ETA shot Luis five times in the cemetery of Bergara, killing him. After the attack, his wife and son have continued hearing rumours about him and about themselves until, eventually, the situation calmed down and returned to normal.