Spain arrests Basque leaders

MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- Spanish police have arrested 23 leaders of an outlawed Basque pro-independence party on suspicion of aiding the armed separatist group ETA, a judicial source told CNN.

Authorities raided a meeting on Thursday involving the 23 in the Basque town of Segura, where they were suspected of secretly trying to transfer the leadership of the outlawed Batasuna party from veteran activists present to a new set of leaders, who were also present, the source said.

The arrests were seen as part of broad crackdown on ETA and its supporters after ETA formally called off its cease-fire last June.

ETA is blamed for more than 800 deaths over four decades in its fight for Basque independence and is listed as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union.

Judge Baltasar Garzon, who has long sought to untangle ETA's web of armed fighters, financial support, logistical apparatus and clandestine support from the outlawed Batasuna, ordered the latest arrests, the source said