On October 30, 1988, the businessman Emiliano Revilla had been kidnapped by ETA for 249 days. After more than eight months of captivity, hopes of liberation were increasingly scarce and very few journalists were still standing guard at the employer's house. María José Sáez, a young editor, formerly of the EFE Agency, was the only one who was close to the house on the night of October 30th.
