[2] Barrionuevo was a member of the pro-Franco student union where he likely met Rodolfo Martín Villa, then interior minister.

[6] Two former interior ministers, namely Rodolfo Martín Villa and Juan José Rosón, also involved in the development of the plan.

[7] Barrionuevo was among the classical social democrats like José Maravall, Javier Solana and Joaquín Almunia who served as a minority group in the cabinets led by Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez.

[9] Unnamed "authorities" subsequently identified the GAL as "a front for security forces and hired assassins paid with secret government funds.

"[10] In addition, on 16 December 1994, two policemen met Judge Baltasar Garzón and told him that Barrionuevo and other senior officials had links to a dirty war against separatists.

[12] On 24 January 1996, he and his former deputy Rafael Vera were found guilty and sentenced to ten years in prison on charges of their involvement in a "dirty war" against ETA.

[10] However, they have denied the charges,[16] but in 2022 admitted to having ordered the release of Segundo Marey, kidnapped by GAL police operatives under his command.