Venezuela is not the new sanctuary of Basque terrorist group ETA, but there is a potential "core," that should be investigated by Spain, Spanish Minister of the Interior Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba said.

The minister remarks came after a Spanish judge issued a bench warrant against 12 members of ETA and of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), mostly of them residents of Venezuela and Cuba, AFP quoted.

"There is a core of people linked with ETA in Venezuela who have been there for some years and…some new additions might have been made," he told Radio Nacional de España (Spain's National Radio, RNE).

"We need to check what it is, its extent, and above all, prevent it, if any, from sprouting or remaining," the senior officer said.

The Spanish government is interested in "clearing up any suspicion" and "I therefore request the cooperation of Venezuelan authorities and I think we will get it," the minister added.