The government has raised its terrorism alert to the maximum level ahead of the March 9 elections, the Interior Ministry said. Interior Minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba said Wednesday that he expected the militant Basque separatist group ETA to try an attack. Security is to be stepped up at party headquarters and rallies and for public transportation, shopping centers and sporting events. Spain has three security levels and had been on Level 2, or “medium.” Spain also faces the threat of Islamist attacks. Just before the last national elections, in 2004, Islamist militants planted bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people.

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