Arrest in Spanish king 'murder bid'

Armed officers have arrested a suspected Basque separatist in Britain on Thursday in connection with an attempt to assassinate Spain's King Juan Carlos in 1997, police said. Eneko Gogeaskoetxea Arronategui, 44, was detained by armed police in the university city of Cambridge, eastern England. He is "wanted by Spanish authorities in connection with the attempted assassination of the king of Spain, terrorism and other serious offences," Scotland Yard said in a statement. Arronategui was apprehended on a European arrest warrant, which states he is wanted for "participation in an armed gang; attempted assassination of the king; terrorism resulting in death; possession of weapons; theft and forgery". The offences were alleged to have taken place on October 18, 1997. Searches are under way at a residential address and two business addresses in Cambridge. Arronategui is due to appear later Thursday at City of Westminster Magistrates Court in central London.