Catalan People's Army

The group was founded in 1969, as a breakaway group of the National Front of Catalonia.^[3] Jaume Martínez Vendrell, the leader of the military wing of the National Front, became its commander.^[4][5] EPOCA trained its militants in urban warfare techniques, smuggling in weaponry from Switzerland.^[6]

The group came to prominence through a number of assassinations, committed by attaching pressure-triggered bombs to the bodies of their victims, demanding ransom, and when this was not paid, leaving the bombs to explode, killing their victims.^[7][8] In this way, the group assassinated in 1977 the industrialist and chemical tycoon José María Bultó, and in 1978 the ex-mayor of Barcelona, Joaquín Viola, along with his wife.^[9][10][11]

By 1979, the group had become inactive in comparison with many other contemporary groups. Following discussions with paramilitaries from Terra Lliure, the groups decided to merge.^[11][12][1] This led to many of the better-trained EPOCA militants joining Terra Lliure.^[12]

Seven people were arrested in connection with the killings of Bultó and the Violas.^[13] Two of them were tried in 1980; one was acquitted entirely, whilst Martínez Vendrell, the other, was sentenced to a year and three months in prison, although this was not directly related to the assassinations.^[14] However, he had already served this time awaiting trial, so was immediately released.^[15] The remaining five were tried in 1982, saying at the time that they "learned of the assassination through the newspapers and television".^[16]

A number of additional arrests were made towards the end of 1980 in connection with the construction of the bombs that were used in the killings.^[17]

• Terra Lliure
• Front d'Alliberament de Catalunya