FACTS:

 - Work on the Basque section of the railway line began in the year 2006. Since then, the companies involved in the project have been threatened by the terrorist group ETA. There have been nearly one hundred attacks against the project, as well as several bomb attacks, claimed by ETA, against the companies in charge of building the infrastructure. 

- ETA directly threatened HSR companies on several occasions, especially in a statement issued on August 18, 2008. 

- On December 3, 2008, the terrorist group murdered a businessman, Ignacio Uria, 71, in Azpeitia. ETA justified the killing saying that the victim was a consultant working for Altuna y Uria, which was involved in the HSR project. 

- After this death, the business leaders in the sector held a meeting and decided to contract protection for certain managers, including the person interviewed here. 

CONSEQUENCES:

“Before the murder of Ignacio Uria, we had not taken any action concerning personal protection, but we had been warned of possible dangers. Following his death we began to be afraid. That’s when I started to use an escort.” 

“After the murder, a period of fear and apprehension set in that eased off a bit over time because, fortunately, no similar situations have occurred again. Furthermore, you don’t have time to be thinking about it in your day to day life. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to work.” 

“First, the companies decided to contract bodyguards for certain managers. After two or three months, the Regional Ministry of the Interior of the Basque Government and the Ministry of the Interior of the central government contacted us. When they started to warn us and to provide information we become more aware of the danger and the level of fear increased significantly.” 

“From then on, my life changed. I didn’t have the same level of freedom. Any normal event was different. I had to wait until my escort arrived at my house to leave. When I left the office, first all the exits had to be checked. I had to call a person to perform any normal activity of my daily life. It is a very important limiting factor in your life.” 

“At family level, it caused an impact, especially at the beginning. Later we more or less assimilated the situation. Fortunately my children were studying away and I think, therefore, were less aware of what was happening.  But my wife suffered the most.” 

“At first the family became very concerned, they even told me to abandon this. But, in the end, day to day life calms everything. Moreover, I think that the fact that they were living away and didn’t see me with my escort all day long was a determining factor. They have relaxed, I think they have forgotten.” 

“At weekends I go out without my escort, I know it’s silly, but I need that freedom. Even so, I call them to get my car out of the garage, in case someone has planted a bomb under the vehicle, because I know it is very easy to do. Then I go off alone.” 

“We knew there was a certain danger involved when we took on this infrastructure project. But we couldn’t have rejected this job, it involved a very significant investment and we depend on this type of investment to survive. For a local business it’s a matter of necessity. There were companies that didn’t want to get involved because of the terrorist threat but they were from outside the region. For us it was necessary. Some people here have been psychologically affected by this. I don’t think I am but it is probably due to a certain level of irresponsibility on my part.” 

“I don’t want this to affect me and, therefore, I prefer not to think about it. There are other people who have been greatly affected by this and their level of concern is much greater. Now, I also know that if there were another attack my attitude would change radically.” 

“In addition, this has led to a great increase in costs for the company, not only in the payment of escorts, but also due to the large investment we have made to shield the work against all types of attack and sabotage. It is full of safety measures. It is an exaggerated situation that had never arisen before.” 

“We have received threats at work and other companies have also been threatened. Consequently, at the beginning, there were people who were really scared; workers who didn’t want to work on this project. We had great difficulty getting people because they were afraid. It’s sad, but the economic crisis and therefore the need to work, have changed all this. The easiest way they have to stop all this is to frighten the workers, not the managers who have protection. And they, the workers, are the foundation of everything.” 

“Even the developers I work with have felt the pressure from supporters of this violent group. There have been boycotts at city halls involved in the project. We have seen how the owners of the land that was expropriated have been threatened. All this has delayed the project, but the worst thing is the fear generated, fear that existed prior to the murder of Uria.” 

“When it all started, there were people at business meetings who were upset, I think because they were afraid, with the statements from leaders in our industry who publicly expressed that, in spite of the pressure and attacks, the corporate fabric was prepared to go ahead with the HSR regardless. They represented small businesses who were concerned they would be affected. There were even regular suppliers who were afraid to get involved.” 

“In this sense, the builders had the worst part, but we will have to put up with it. They have threatened judges, policemen, journalists … Now it’s our turn and we have to carry on. I think there is no other way.”