European countries are fighting against terrorism but, what about separatist groups like IRA and ETA?

Actual Situation

Most of the separatist armed groups that are present in Europe are now using a different approach because of loss of support from the public opinion. They are now working to become strong political parties, with enough influence to represent their interests in the Government of their countries.

ETA was very active during the 70s and 80s, but since the 90s and, especially, during the 2000s, because of fluid cooperation between the French and Spanish police, state of the art tracking devices and techniques and, apparently, police infiltration have allowed increasingly repeating blows to ETA's leadership and structure (between May 2008 and April 2009 no less than four consecutive "military chiefs" were arrested). All those combined actions reduced ETA's activity over the years but the group is still active.

A poll taken by the Basque Autonomous Government in December 2006 during ETA's "permanent" ceasefire showed that 88% of the Basques thought that it was necessary for all political parties to launch a dialogue, including a debate on the political framework for the Basque Country (86%). 69% support the idea of ratifying the results of this hypothetical multitipartite dialogue through a referendum. This poll also reveals that the hope of a peaceful resolution to the violent Basque separatist problem has fallen to 78% (from 90% in April).

IRA also lost public support and since July 2005 it declared that its campaign of violence was over, and that transparent mechanisms would be used, under the de Chastelain process, to satisfy the Northern Ireland communities that it was disarming totally. The group still has substantial support in parts of Northern Ireland since the early 1970s. Areas of IRA support included working class Catholic/nationalist areas of Belfast, Derry and other towns and cities. The most notable of these include parts of the north and west Belfast and the Bogside and Creggan areas of Derry City. In addition, the IRA has been strongly supported in rural areas with a strong republican tradition. Such support would be indicated by the recruitment of IRA members from an area and the populace hiding weapons, providing safe houses to IRA members and providing information on the movements of the Security Forces.

Sinn Féin, the political wing of IRA, now has 28 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly (out of 108), five Westminster MPs (out of 18 from Northern Ireland) and five Republic of Ireland TDs (out of 166).