MADRID, Spain — A Spanish judge ordered 17 leaders of an outlawed Basque political party jailed yesterday on provisional charges of belonging to an armed group.

The 17 were among 23 people arrested last week in a police raid of a secret meeting of the Batasuna party, considered the political wing of the Basque militant group ETA. The raid has raised tensions between the Spanish government and Basque separatists.

“They are not willing to end terrorist violence but to [help] ETA achieve its aims through violence,” National Court Judge Baltasar Garzon said in his ruling. “It’s obvious the understanding between Batasuna and ETA.”

Four of the other detainees were released on $14,000 bail. Two were determined to have no direct links to the banned political party and were freed. Prime Minister Zapatero’s attempts to pursue peace talks with ETA collapsed when the group ended a self-declared ceasefire with a bombing that killed two people in December. The government since has arrested dozens of ETA suspects and is now going after their political allies.

Batasuna was banned in 2003 in a Supreme Court ruling that barred it from running in elections and holding formal meetings. The party, however, has allowed to hold news conferences and stage street rallies.

ETA has killed more than 800 people since the late 1960s in a campaign of shootings and bombings. The group is seeking an independent homeland in northern Spain and southwest France.