Terrorism in Spain

[Tigermike 3,717]

Madrid Train Station Blasts Kill 186

Thursday, March 11, 2004

MADRID, Spain  — More than 186 people were killed and more than 1,000 wounded Thursday after 10 bombs rocked three Madrid (search) train stations just three days before Spain's general elections.

Police found as many as three more explosive devices in backpacks on the trains and diffused them, Sky News reported.

"This is a massacre," government spokesman Eduardo Zaplana said.

Police are looking for at least two people who were seen jumping on and off one of the trains at one station in Madrid. Police believe these individuals could have been planting the bombs.

Spanish officials called it the deadliest attack ever by the armed Basque separatist group, ETA (search).

But Arnold Otegi, leader of Batasuna (search), an outlawed Basque party (search) linked to the armed separatist group, denied it was behind the blasts and suggested "Arab resistance" elements were responsible.

Otegi told Radio Popular in San Sebastian that ETA always phones in warnings before it attacks. The interior minister said there was no warning before Thursday's attack.

"The modus operandi, the high number of victims and the way it was carried out make me think, and I have a hypothesis in mind, that yes it may have been an operative cell from the Arab resistance," Otegi said. Otegi noted that Spain's government backed the Iraq war.

But previous arrests may point to ETA's connection in Thursday's bombing.

"ETA had been looking for a massacre in Spain," Interior Minister Angel Acebes (search) said after an emergency cabinet meeting. "Unfortunately, today it achieved its goal."

On Feb. 29, for the second time in two months, police intercepted a Madrid-bound van packed with more than 1,100 pounds of explosives, and blamed ETA. Two alleged ETA members were arrested, but their identities were withheld.

The plan was to "generate a massacre in coming days, if possible, in the center of Madrid," Justice Minister Jose Maria Michavila said then.

"Therefore, it is absolutely clear and evident that the terrorist organization ETA was looking to commit a major attack," Acebes said Thursday. "The only thing that varies is the train station that was targeted."

Some experts weren't ruling out an Al Qaeda (search) connection.

"I think there could be an Al Qaeda connection simply because of the coordination because the style theirs," said former Ambassador Dennis Ross, a Fox News foreign affairs analyst.  "But a lot of these groups like to work together now. Al Qaeda seems to be franchising."

"If it's Al Qaeda, that's a reminder that what Al Qaeda stands for is death and destruction … nothing that benefits humanity," Ross said.

'I've Seen Horror'

"Thousands are now living in hours of confusion … in these hours of pain, the democratic government is going forward," Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar (search) said in his address to the country around 9 a.m. EST.

"We are living in difficult times but we're happy to see that anonymous individuals are offering their services, helping to transport individuals, helping to donate blood and acting with great dignity."

Aznar also thanked Spain's allies for their offers of help and condolences and condemned whoever was responsible for the attacks -- whatever the reason.

"Any terrorist attack is lacking in any sense and meaning," Aznar said, calling the killings "massive assassinations." "They have killed many individuals for the mere fact that they are Spaniards."

President Bush called Aznar to express solidarity with the Spanish people and to offer his condolences.

Bombs exploded around 7:30 a.m. local time in a commuter train arriving at Atocha station, a bustling hub for subway, commuter and long-distance trains in Spain's capital.

Blasts also rocked trains or platforms at two stations on a commuter line leading to Atocha (search). The government said there were five blasts altogether.

People in tears streamed away from the station as rescue workers carried bodies covered in sheets of gold fabric. People with bloodied faces sat on curbs, using cell phones to tell loved ones they were alive. Hospitals appealed for blood donations. Buses had to be pressed into service as ambulances.

Rescue workers were overwhelmed, said ambulance driver Enrique Sanchez.

"There was one carriage totally blown apart," he said. "People were scattered all over the platforms. I saw legs and arms. I won't forget this ever. I've seen horror."

Shards of twisted metal were scattered by rails in the Atocha station at the spot where an explosion severed a train in two.

"I saw many things explode in the air, I don't know, it was horrible," said Juani Fernandez, 50, a civil servant who was on the platform waiting to go to work.

"People started to scream and run, some bumping into each other and as we ran there was another explosion. I saw people with blood pouring from them, people on the ground."

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw (search) called the attacks terrorist atrocities and a "disgusting assault on the very principle of European democracy."

Straw said that Britain stood "shoulder to shoulder" with Spain and was ready to send any kind of material help needed.

European Parliament President Pat Cox (search) said the bomb attacks amounted to "a declaration of war on democracy."

"No more bombs, no more dead," Cox said in Spanish before a hushed legislature in Strasbourg, France. "It is an outrageous, unjustified and unjustifiable attack on the Spanish people and Spanish democracy."

The Work of the ETA?

Until now, the highest death toll in an ETA attack was 21 killed in a supermarket blast in Barcelona in 1987.

"Right now we have to wait until we have an official statement," Foreign Minister Ana Palacio (search) told the BBC. "We don't have this official statement, so we just can say there are some hints and indications that point toward ETA."

ETA had been blamed for more than 800 deaths in its decades-old campaign to carve an independent Basque homeland out of territory straddling northern Spain and southwest France.

ETA has been against the ropes following the arrest last year of more than 150 members or collaborators in Spain and France, including the leaders of ETA's commando network. Last year ETA killed three people, compared to 23 in 2000 and 15 in 2001.

ETA often phones in warnings before detonating bombs, but this time it did not, Acebes said.

The government convened anti-ETA rallies nationwide for Friday evening.

"What a horror," said the Basque regional president, Juan Jose Ibarretxe, who insisted ETA does not represent the Basque people. "When ETA attacks, the Basque heart breaks into a thousand pieces," he said in the Basque capital Vitoria.

"This is one of those days that you don't want to live through," said opposition Socialist party spokesman Jesus Caldera. "ETA must be defeated," referring to the group as "those terrorists, those animals."

Police had been on high alert for Basque separatist violence ahead of general elections Sunday, in which regional tensions and how to fight ETA have been key themes. Mariano Rajoy, the candidate for prime minister of the ruling conservative Popular Party, said he was calling off the rest of his campaign.

LINK

[channonc 466]

This is a sad sad story. Another example of how terrorism still thrives. My heart goes to those is Spain dealing with this horrible situation.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

I've been watching the local news over here and the country is obviously in deep shock. The ETA have generally confined their attacks to civic targets (Guardia Civil and political leaders) but this one specifically targeted the civilian populace. It's interesting that in previous bombings by the ETA, advance notice was given that a bomb was set to go off which reduced the threat to innocents. These guys, along with the Catalans, do not like the Spanish government one bit. The Basque and Catalan provinces have sought independence for a long time. The only difference between them is the people of Catalunia (northeastern Spain) have been going about it peacefully.

Up until this morning, the Spaniards had this sense that any attacks by the ETA would continue to be more of a nusiance rather than an all out attack against the general population. It is going to be interesting to see how they react now that this has happened. A lot of the locals around here want blood!! Right now, the government has called for organized protests across the country beginning tomorrow. The next several days should be interesting.

[accau 0]

Its time for us to join our friends, the Spanish, and retaliate in a vengeful manner. Thats the only thing the Islamics understand.....We should take out another country....but don't man it this time ----- just blow it to hellandgone.....I think Saudi Arabia is a good candidate....

WDE

[Tigermike 3,717]

E-Mail: Attack on U.S. '90 Percent Ready'

Thursday, March 11, 2004

CAIRO, Egypt — An Arabic newspaper said Thursday it had received a claim of responsibility for the Madrid train bombings issued in the name of Al Qaeda (search). The claim also said that a major attack against America was "90 percent ready."

The five-page e-mail claim, signed by the shadowy Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri (search), was received at Al-Quds al-Arabi's (search) London offices. It said the brigade's "death squad" had penetrated "one of the pillars of the crusade alliance, Spain," and carried out what it called Operation Death Trains.

"This is part of settling old accounts with Spain, the crusader, and America's ally in its war against Islam," the claim said.

Referring to Spain's Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar (search), the statement asked: "Aznar, where is America? Who will protect you, Britain, Japan, Italy and others from us?"

The newspaper faxed the claim to The Associated Press office in Cairo.

The statement warned the United States that a major strike is approaching.

"We announce the good news for the Muslims in the world that the strike of the black wind of death, the expected strike against America, is now at its final stage -- 90 percent ready -- and it is coming soon, by God's will," the claim said.

Asked about the claim of responsibility, White House spokesman Sean McCormack said "we've seen the news reports and we're going to determine what the facts are."

There was no way to verify the claim came from Al Qaeda, though the editor of Al-Quds al-Arabi, Abdel Bari Atwan, said the phrasing sounded like the terrorist group.

The message also referred to last year's attack on Italian paramilitary police serving in the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.

"When we attacked the Italian troops in Nasiriyah and sent you and America's agents an ultimatum to withdraw from the anti-Islam alliance, you did not understand the message. Now we have made it clear and hope that this time you will understand," the statement said.

"We, at the Abu Hafs brigades, have not felt sad for the so-called civilians," the statement in an apparent reference to the hundreds of casualties in Thursday's attacks in Madrid.

"Is it OK for you to kill our children, women, old people and youth in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and Kashmir? And is it forbidden to us to kill yours?" the claim asked.

The statement said another Al Qaeda squad, Jund al-Quds (search) or Soldiers of Jerusalem, had carried out Tuesday night's attack on a Masonic lodge in Istanbul, Turkey.

"All the Masons would have been killed but there was a technical fault. So because God wished it, only three were killed," the statement said.

In the attack, two homicide bombers opened fire in the lodge's dining hall, killing a waiter and wounding five other people. The attackers then detonated rudimentary explosives. One assailant died in the blast while the other was severely wounded.

FOXNEWS

A U.S. official cautioned it was "still too early to say" whether the bombings were the work of ETA or other terror groups, including al Qaeda.

Referring to a statement claiming responsibility and attributed to a group allegedly affiliated with al Qaeda that was received by a London-based Arabic-language newspaper, the U.S. official said "keep in mind we often see false claims of responsibility," and that even for attacks it did commit, "al Qaeda frequently takes no public credit."

Khalid al-Shami, political editor of Al Quds Al Arabi newspaper in London, told CNN the letter was from Abu Hafs al-Masri, which he said was affiliated with al Qaeda.

He said the group has issued credible claims in the past and claimed responsibility for Monday's attacks in Istanbul on a Masonic lodge.

CNN

[AUloggerhead 2,516]

Its time for us to join our friends, the Spanish, and retaliate in a vengeful manner. Thats the only thing the Islamics understand.....We should take out another country....but don't man it this time ----- just blow it to hellandgone.....I think Saudi Arabia is a good candidate....

WDE

Well ... maybe not that drastic. The more incidents like 9/11 & the bombing in Bali & now the train bombings in Madrid, the more you'll see a general backlash against against the terrorist and then later, against all things Islamic.

I still remember the video footage of Palestinians cheering wildly, dancing & passing out candy to kids after the WTC collapse. I don't think I've ever been so digusted. If that's the attitude of the Arab Islamic mind, then fine. Where do I go to buy Israeli war bonds?

[rexbo 104]

If this is attack was really by the extreme Islamists, then it will be very interesting to see how it plays out in Spain, and the rest of Europe. The people there could go the easy route, the weak route, and blame their Government for siding with the USA against the terrorists (and the liberals there probably will), or they could do the right thing and stand up even stronger against the terrorists.

It is kind of ironic, on the day that the British Government let their enemy combatants from Quantanamo go free with little questioning, possibly more al Queda terrorists were killing 200 people in Spain. Imagine how many thousands of lives have been saved by the bad guys we have locked up in Cuba.

[TitanTiger 21,241]

Guys, would you pray for a friend of mine over there? I met Charo over 10 years ago when she was here as an exchange student and she is from Spain. She's from Sevilla, but I can't remember if she has taken a job in Madrid or not. I haven't talked to her in a couple of months. I've emailed her and tried to see if she's been online with Instant Messenger and stuff, but haven't seen her yet.

She's probably OK, but I'm a little worried since I normally see her pop up at some point during the day on IM. If you'll just say a prayer for her safety and that of her family, I'd really appreciate it.

[JC Cool 0]

This last summer I was in Madrid and stayed at a hotel directly across the street from the major target in the attack. It was shocking to see that horrible scene there. I'm justice will get served.

[JC Cool 0]

typo...... I'm sure justice will get served.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

Al Qaeda is claiming responsibility, but given the timing of the tragedy and other things that have happened here recently, the ETA can't be removed from the list of suspects.

The Spanish elections are being held here Sunday. The Popular Party (Aznar's party) is the current ruling party over here and they are very tough on the Basque separatists. They have the lead in the polls now and this makes the separatists nervous. They are being opposed by the Socialist party (much like our own democrat party). These guys are more of a "don't bother us and we won't bother you" type of group. The separatists see life under the Socialist party being more favorable, because Aznar keeps the screws tightened down so hard on them.

Last week, the national police stopped a van loaded with over 1000 kilos of explosives headed for Madrid. This van was being driven by members of the ETA, and the group has made it known that they wanted to step up their campaign against the government here.

It will all come out here very soon. I would be real suprised if it's found that Al Qaeda was the culprit. Everything I can see and hear points to the ETA.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

This is what the national news here in Spain is reporting as well.

Spanish FM points to ETA as being behind Madrid blasts

Friday March 12, 7:32 PM

(excerpt)

Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio said it was "absolutely crystal clear" that the Basque separatist group ETA was responsible for the blasts on rush-hour commuter trains in Madrid that killed 198 people.

Spanish officials immediately blamed ETA after the attacks Thursday morning, but adopted a more cautious approach later in the day, saying they were not ruling out that it may be the work of extremists linked to the Al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden.

Palacio told BBC radio that "it was absolutely crystal clear (that there was) a link with ETA".

In an interview with France's Europe 1 private radio, she said "everything appeared to indicate" that the deadly strike was carried out by the Basque separatists.

"We have very strong clues, very strong precedents," she said. "All the objective elements which we have -- the explosives used, the way they worked -- point to ETA."

Palacio pointed to "the arrest of two ETA suspects on Christmas Eve with backpacks filled with the same type of explosives in another station... and the interception of a small van with 500 kilograms (1,200 pounds) of explosives 10 days ago with a map of the part of Madrid where the attack took place."

Article

[CCTAU 3,536]

LINKThen, is this true?

192 DEAD, 1200 WOUNDED.  SO .. WAS IT AL QAEDA?

Have you seen those images on television yesterday?  Did you see those trains in Spain blown to bits?  Now ... can you picture that same scene somewhere in the United States ... maybe in the Northeast corridor or in Chicago where tens of thousands of people commute by rail?

So, you think this election is about jobs and health care?  There are about 200 people in Spain who will no longer benefit from any health care, and another 1200 who probably won't be going to work for today .. or for a while ... or maybe never.  Is  Al-Qaeda back?  Maybe they never left!   The supposedly peaceful religion of Islam has struck again, brutally murdering 192 people, and wounding more than 1200.  If you think the war on terror isn't important, then it's time to get your head out of the sand, or whatever dark region you have it stored.

Unless you have been living under a rock, by now you have heard what happened. 10 backpack bombs exploded within a 15-minute span, starting at about 7:40am yesterday aboard commuter trains.  Police also detonated three more bombs. A stolen van was found near Madrid containing seven detonators and an Arabic tape with Koran verses on it.  The Spanish government initially pointed the finger at a separatist group, but then a letter was faxed to Reuters by an Al-Qaeda-backed group. They referred to the attack as "operation death trains."  The attack occurred 911 days after September 11th. Another letter was faxed to the Associated Press office in Cairo warning that America was next.  That's right; Al-Qaeda says America is next.

You have a role to play here.  You have a decision to make ... and that decision will be made on November 2nd.  You will decide who is going to lead this country in this time of peril .. this era of Islamic terrorism.  Maybe you'll want to chose someone who has proven that he will use the American military and whatever resources are available to him to hunt these terrorists down and kill them.  Or maybe you'll want to chose the man who says that this is all a law enforcement problem; someone who, if he does manage to catch these Islamic predators with his glorified police force, will then turn them over to some international tribunal for trial.  As the great Og Mandino once said, "Use wisely your power of choice."

Who do you think the thousands of people who have died at the hands of Al-Qaeda would choose?  And who do you think the Al Qaeda supporters and sympathizers in the United States will chose?

[Tiger in Spain 0]

The Spanish still have the ETA as the #1 suspect. This bombing has a lot of their trademarks. Remember, the same islamic group that is claiming responsibility for this attack stated they were responsible for the big blackout last year along the east coast.

Given how the attack was carried out and the fact that the national police here foiled a bombing attempt by the ETA last week (they found maps of the same train stations hit yesterday along with all the explosives in the van), I personally think the Spaniards are on the right track.