Officers of the Basque regional police force, Ertzaintza, arrested three youngsters aged between 15 and 17 this morning, for painting pro-ETA graffiti on a train station in the centre of Bilbao.

The youths were apparently caught around 2.30am by station security guards who held them until the Ertzaintza officers arrived.

Once on the scene the officers proceeded to identify the youths who were then charged with 'incitement to terrorism'.

In addition, one of them was charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon as a catapult and 18 steel balls were found on his person.

After going through the appropriate police procedures, the youths were then released on the condition that they report to the court as and when required to do so by the judge.

The city of Bilbao saw more trouble earlier on the same night when a group of masked youths threw molotov cocktails at two cashpoint machines in the old town at around 11pm.  No arrests were made.