Comments on: Eta Massacre in Madrid

By: talos

talos — Sun, 14 Mar 2004 16:56:15 +0000

“If they’re so nice why did they help invade Iraq? What goes around comes around…”

They didn’t… 92% of the Spanish public was against the war on Iraq, of which an unprecedented 10% of the population (at least) actively demonstrated against it, in the most massive anti-war participation of any European country. Let me repeat: with the possible exception of the Greeks (where opposition to the war hovered around 95%) the Spaniards were the Europeans most opposed to the war and their country’s involvement. They were by far the most active population in the world in opposing the war (and that includes the Arab world, where participation in demonstrations was smaller than in Spain).

By: case

case — Sun, 14 Mar 2004 02:37:59 +0000

“It’s moments like these that bring you face-to-face with the utter senseless, random injustice of the world. The people of Madrid are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met; to know that they have been subject to this atrocity is almost more than my heart can bear. Why must we live in a world like this?”

If they’re so nice why did they help invade Iraq? What goes around comes around…

By: shmuel

shmuel — Sat, 13 Mar 2004 07:55:36 +0000

The more I read the swirl of speculation the more my taste for speculation sours. Yesterday was one of the heaviest days of my life - so many of my friends could have been on one of those trains, my wife rode a Circenias train that morning. It seems that making this event about politics instead of people - real people with families - is it’s own small sort of terrorism.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 12 Mar 2004 16:24:22 +0000

Terrible news. An ETA-Al Qaeda cooperation is certainly not to be excluded. But on the other hand, the attack is terribly convenient for Aznar and his battle against terrorism, three days before the elections. Don’t forget 90% of the Spanish population was against the Iraq war. The connection Al Qaeda and ETA gives him the chance to justify the Iraq war and to fall down even more on ETA. Didn’t the Spanish interior minister suggest yesterday the Batasuna members of the Basque parliament should be arrested? One Basque representative in Brussels said on Flemish television it should not be excluded the Spanish secret service is behind the explosions. And let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be the first time something like this happens, even in a democratic country… In any case, I sympathize with the Madrilenes. Because, whoever did this, they are the innocent victims.

By: Nick Barlow

Nick Barlow — Fri, 12 Mar 2004 07:19:03 +0000

Bernard - there was a mention earlier on News 24 that, in the past, ETA terrorists were known to have done some training in the Bekaa Valley (sp?) in Lebanon with groups active there. Collaboration is a definite, and frightening, possibility.

By: Bernard Guerrero

Bernard Guerrero — Fri, 12 Mar 2004 05:07:58 +0000

Randy,

Seems possible, doesn’t it? If you’re short on either human or physical capital, you find yourself a partner with the missing pieces.

I seem to recall some evidence of IRA/FARC cooperation with regards to training & equipment in the past, I don’t see why this would be any more unlikely. Anybody who does, please feel free to poke a hole in it…

Bernard Guerrero

By: Randy McDonald

Randy McDonald — Fri, 12 Mar 2004 05:02:50 +0000

One possibility: ETA/al-Qaeda collaboration?

By: Walt Pohl

Walt Pohl — Fri, 12 Mar 2004 03:50:42 +0000

If it was al Queda, Atocha seems like an odd target for them to pick. You’d think they’d target something with more symbolic resonance, like the Prado, or Plaza de Cibeles.

By: Edward

Edward — Fri, 12 Mar 2004 03:14:38 +0000

“The word on MSNBC is that a van with detonators and a book with verses from the Koran has been found near the blast sites.”

This is true, and there has been a claim from an Al Quaeda group to be responsible. We should treat all this now with caution, and I need to guard my words more. I am not yet convinced that this isn’t Eta though. Now let’s wait and see how this evolves.

There is so much here that doesn’t fit.

“to hurt the Spanish, and drive a wedge between them and the Basque”

That wedge was already there unfortunately. Fortunately I don’t see any likely consequence of civil war. Bad feeling surely, but civil war no.

But at the moment the effort seems to be to direct the attention to Al Quaeda, rather than an Al Quaeda group trying to blame Eta. This is what makes me a litlle suspicious.

By: Alan Kellogg

Alan Kellogg — Fri, 12 Mar 2004 02:21:57 +0000

The word on MSNBC is that a van with detonators and a book with verses from the Koran has been found near the blast sites. More information might be found at the MSNBC web site.

It’s starting to sound as if the attack was meant to hurt the Spanish, and drive a wedge between them and the Basque. Possibly leading to a civil war and the suppression of civil liberties.

But, the discovery of the van and its contents will more likely rouse Spain to seek vengeance against the terrorists. Meaning an expanded effort by Spain, and likely an increased Spanish presence overseas in the various front in the war on terrorism.

Such as, say, the expansion of the Spanish forces in Iraq to a full brigade. Or the offer of Spanish assistance to Morocco and Algeria in their wars against terrorists.

Once again the Salafi have shown no understanding of the western mind.