Preliminary terrorism charges brought against ETA leader

Paris: A French judicial official says preliminary terrorism charges have been filed against the suspected leader of the Basque separatist group ETA.

The official says a French judge filed preliminary charges of "association with a terrorist enterprise" against Mikel Garikoitz Aspiazu, known as Txeroki.

Spanish officials say 35-year-old Aspiazu was the head of ETA, which has carried out attacks for years in a quest for a separatist state. Hundreds of people have been killed, mostly in Spain.

He was arrested Monday in southwest France.