Madrid - Two suspected members of the militant Basque separatist group ETA were detained Tuesday in central France, media reports quoted Spanish police sources as saying.

The man and woman were captured as they were about to steal a car. They were armed and carried false identity documents.

The woman was identified as Maria Lizarraga Merino, a former member of the pro-ETA youth organization Segi. The man's identity was not immediately known.

The two had been camping in a tent in a forested area, reports said.

The arrests followed a string of three ETA car bombings which claimed the life of a soldier in northern Spain early Monday. (dpa)