Boobytrap bomb explodes in Basque Country

The explosion, which came less than two weeks beforegeneral elections in March, caused no injuries or damage whenit exploded around midday outside the hilltop facility atArnotegi, near the city of Bilbao, police said.

Authorities received a warning call at 7:50 a.m. Britishtime that ETA guerrillas had planted the bomb and it would gooff at 9:00 a.m. British time, police said.

The 4-5 kg (9-11 lb) bomb exploded at 11:00 a.m. Britishtime when the police robot moved the cardboard box containingit.

"It was a booby trap bomb against the police with some kindof movement activated device," said a police spokesman.

The explosion appeared to be ETA's second attack in 2008after a bomb hidden inside a backpack caused considerabledamage to a courthouse in Spain's Basque region earlier thismonth.

Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis RodriguezZapatero, fighting to retain office in the March 9 election,faces criticism over failed ETA peace talks and has launched acrackdown on the Basque separatist rebels and their allies.

ETA has killed more than 800 people during its four decadecampaign for an independent Basque state.

The most recent deaths were in December, when ETAguerrillas shot dead two undercover Spanish policemen insouthern France.

(Reporting by Emma Pinedo; Editing by Sami Aboudi)