Arms plot smashed -Madrid

Press, 24 February 1977, Page 6

Arms plot smashed -Madrid

NZPA-Reilter Madrid The Spanish authorities said yesterday that they had smashed an arms-making plot by extreme Rightists, and detained 10 persons. The para-military Civil Guard said that the leader of' the far-Right “Guerrillas of! Christ the King” was among' those detained. Eight of the. □thers taken into custody' were Italians. The Civil Guard said that two of the Italians were leading members of neo-Fascist| organisations wanted in Italy n connection with several; lets of Right-wing violence. A French woman was also! tmong those detained. The statement said that nachinery for producing up :<> 50 guns a month had been ound in a Madrid flat. The Government has inter.ened in the application by Spain’s long-banned Communst Partv for full legal status. The Government has asked' he Supreme Court to rule: >n whether the party’s aims flashed with Spanish law — md the legal language used ndicates that the Govern-; nent thinks there are grounds! or supposing that the iudic-l ary will reject the Communsts request. Hinting that the ban in ‘ffect since ibe. 1936-1939 flvil war might be niainained. the Government told he Communists that suffici■nt reasons for outlawing the >arty could be deduced from ts antecedents and aims. The Communists, now. iperating in open but ambigu- j ms circumstances, have al-' eadv produced their list of; andidates for the election md announced their deternination to stand.