This story by the Spanish daily ABC suggests Nicaragua is once again harboring members of the Basque terrorist group ETA. A terrorism crackdown in Mexico has forced the region’s cells to relocate to a friendlier place–one where Sandinista president Daniel Ortega has become a sort of Godfather for rebels who are otherwise unwelcome in the region. In the 80s, the article says, the Sandinista government gave citizenship to 20 ETA members, but after the Sandinistas fell from power in 1990, former President Violeta Chamorro began sending the rebels to Spain.

The ABC story relies entirely upon sketchy anonymous sources. Problem is, Ortega makes this too easy to believe. He has publicly appeared with alleged FARC members in Managua, to whom he had given asylum, and has referred to a FARC leader as his “brother”.  Of course, it’s in Ortega’s revolutionary nature to support the underdog, such as the indigenous protest leaders from Peru he recently granted asylum, including Alberto Pizango. With Ortega’s blessing, ousted Honduran leader Manuel Zelaya has made Nicaragua his home away from home since he was exiled June 28, and some Nicaraguans aren’t so happy about this.

The balding Sandinista revolutionary, who, since returning to power in 2007 has become one of the closest allies of Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, needs to be careful about which underdogs he’s rooting for. The United States and the European Union have already cut off aid to Nicaragua for a lack of electoral transparency in November 2008 mayoral elections. As Europe considers renewing aid, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for Ortega to not come across as creating a terrorist haven state .