The Anti-Terrorist Liberation Groups (GAL) was a Spanish paramilitary organization that targeted Basque separatists and was active from 1983 until 1987. <br /><p><br />The group, formed at a time when the Basque separatist group Basque Fatherland and Freedom (ETA) was at its height of activity, focused on destabilizing ETA's safe havens in France, although they also carried out actions in Spanish territory. ETA, at this time, focused its attacks on Spain while its leadership remained in France, where the government did not persecute them, and even awarded some of its members political refugee status. The GAL's early activities consisted of bombings and revenge killings, initially pledging to kill an ETA member in retaliation for each death caused by the separatists. The group's first action was the kidnapping and killing of Jose Antonio Lasa and Jose Antonio Zabala in October 1983, both suspected members of ETA. Their bodies were not found until 1995, buried in quicklime and showing clear signs of torture. The group's notoriety reached new heights with the high-profile kidnapping of Segundo Marey in December 1983. The GAL claimed Marey was an ETA activist, but later released him when it emerged that he was merely a furniture salesman. Throughout the 1980s, the GAL had been accused of 23 to 28 murders in both France and Spain, as well as a number of other kidnappings. This period of Spanish History is known as "The Dirty War" (La Guerra Sucia).<br /><p><br />Throughout the group's history there have been accusations of Spanish government support for the GAL. The GAL were linked to the Spanish Police's Anti-Terrorist Unit, as well as the Civil Guard, causing some to regard the group as a "para-police" unit. The GAL also employed French "mercenaries" to carry out some of their actions, especially in French territory. Although the Spanish public feared ETA terrorism, the GAL's support was limited due to the fact that as many as one third of its victims had no connection to ETA. <br />