Dirty War, Clean Hands ETA, the GAL and Spanish Democracy Paddy Woodworth

Spain's transition from the Franco dictatorship to a democratic state has been widely regarded as exemplary. However, as modern court proceedings have exposed, the first post-transition government, in attempting to destroy the Basque separatist group ETA, adopted the very policies of indiscriminate terror which characterised both the Franco regime and ETA's own strategy. In this narrative, Woodworth disentangles a complex conspiracy through documentary evidence and first-hand interviews. He analyzes what happens when a democracy abandons the rule of law, showing how state terror has strengthened revolutionary terrorism and raising questions about post-Franco Spain.

Paddy Woodworth is Assistant Foreign Desk Editor at The Irish Times with responsibility for Spanish and Latin American coverage.

"A balanced, finely documented tale of how easily democratic institutions can run off the rails."