Spanish police have arrested the leader of a banned Basque separatist party after the country's supreme court ruled that he should serve a prison sentence for glorifying terrorism.
Arnaldo Otegi, leader of the outlawed Batasuna party, was arrested in the city of San Sebastian on Friday
Otegi was arrested after the supreme court rejected his appeal against a 15-month sentence over remarks he made at a 2003 rally in memory of an Eta leader.
The arrest comes after the armed separatist group Eta (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna) called off a 15-month-old ceasefire on Tuesday.
Prosecutors say Otegi in effect praised terrorism, which is a crime in Spain, during the speech at the rally.
Otegi's lawyer said the politician was exercising his right to free speech, but a five-judge panel at the supreme court ruled unanimously against the appeal.
The case was returned to the national court, who issued the original guilty verdict, who chose not suspend Otegi's sentence.
The national court official said Otegi was arrested while on his way to a news conference, minutes after the national court ruling.