The release from prison of a Basque separatist convicted of murdering25 people, has drawn reaction from Spain's prime minister and victims'advocates.
Jose Ignacio de Juana Chaos, a member of themilitant group ETA, left Aranjuez prison outside Madrid Saturday afterserving 21 years of a 3,000-year sentence.
Prime MinisterJose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said on Friday that feelings of contemptfor the ETA member are understandable, but he said the law must berespected.
Victims associations have expressed outrage, notonly at Juana Chaos' release, but also at news that he plans to live inthe Basque town of San Sebastian, where ETA killed a police officer 40years ago.
The separatist group has been blamed for more than820 deaths in a campaign for an independent Basque state in northernSpain and southwestern France.
Spain's penal code at the time of sentencing enabled Chaos to gain an early release from prison.
Hewas arrested in 1987 and had been due for release in 2006, but wassentenced to additional prison time after publishing articles deemed tobe terrorist in nature. He has never expressed remorse for thekillings.