173 People Killed in Madrid Explosions

[MtnBiker]

Mar 11, 9:48 AM (ET)

By MAR ROMAN

MADRID, Spain (AP) - Ten terrorist bombs tore through trains and stations along a commuter line at the height of Madrid's morning rush hour Thursday, killing 173 people and wounding at least 600 before this weekend's general elections. Officials blamed Basque separatists for the worst terror attack in Spanish history.

"This is mass murder," said a somber Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar following an emergency cabinet meeting, vowing to hunt down the attackers.

The explosives used in the blasts were a type of dynamite that the ETA Basque separatist group normally uses, the Interior Ministry said following tests.

People streamed away in tears from Madrid's Atocha terminal - where bombs exploded on two trains - as rescue workers carried bodies covered in sheets of gold fabric. The wounded, faces bloodied, sat on curbs and used cellphones to tell loved ones they were alive. Buses were pressed into service as ambulances, and hospitals appealed for blood donations.

A total of 10 bombs exploded, killing 173 people and injured more than 600, Interior Minister Angel Acebes said. Police found and detonated three others.
link to full article

Isn't Bry in Madrid? Hope he is o.k.

 

[wonderwench]

How horrible!

My heart and thoughts are with the victims and their families.

 

[jon_forward]

the count is now at 190 deaths...when the extremist start killing people who have done them no harm they remove any and all doubt as to their intentions. if they want to be separate..they need to get the hell out...my prayers to all the inocents hurt and killed and there families..

 

[Zhukov]

The only way to defeat evil is to kill it utterly. Today I am a Spaniard.

 

[5stringJeff]

In terms of relative population, this is about 50% the casualty rate of the 9/11 attacks. Truly a deplorable act. My hearts are with the Spanish - a true ally in the War on Terror.

 

[_dmp_]

I wonder how long before the Liberals blame GWB for this.



:-/

 

[jon_forward]

already done....like the first post on yahell....dumbasses all..

 

[Palestinian Jew]

My prayers will be with Spain.

 

[MtnBiker]

Spain Says Suspect Van Had Arabic Tapes
Thu Mar 11, 2004 02:51 PM ET

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's interior minister said a suspect van had been found on Thursday near Madrid, scene of bombings that killed 190 people, containing seven detonators and a tape in Arabic language.
Interior Minister Angel Acebes said the tape had recordings of verses from the Koran.

Spain has so far attributed the attack to Basque separatists, but Acebes' remarks appeared to raise the possibility of a link to Islamist militants.




link


First reports are often corrected later, so take it for what its worth.

 

[lilcountriegal]

Isn't Bry in Madrid? Hope he is o.k.

Actually, I think he is...

has anyone emailed him? or heard from him?

 

[kcmcdonald]

The war on terror is not jsut in the middle east or in america. It is also being fought in Europe. My thoughts and prays go out to the people and familys who lost people in this deplorable attack against people who have nothing to do with this war. A plauge on the house of AQ a plauge on all those who support them, a plauuge on both of thier houses!!!!!!

 

[Bry]

My family and I are okay. Your concern is appreciated.

One of the trains was about a block from my apartment when it exploded (our apartment is next to Atocha train station). The train which exploded there had not quite arrived to the station, where it would have filled to its limits before continuing on. Thirty seconds later, the mortality rate would have doubled. My wife usually takes the same train to work every morning, but yesterday, she was in bed: the university professors had convened a work stoppage for Thursday.

The question of who was responsible is somewhat delicate. National elections are to be held on Sunday, and the government was quick to indicate, inspite of a lack of evidence, that ETA (the Basque separatists) were responsible. Such a verdict would sway public opinion in favor of the current government, while an Al Qaeda link would have the opposite effect.

Bry

 

[lilcountriegal]

Very glad to hear you and your family are okay, Bry. Its quite unnerving to hear how close to home it came to you.

While this is "just a message board", the longer you particpate here, the closer you become to the other people also posting regularly.

Terrorism anywhere is a scary thing.. regardless of who is behind it. Are you an American living in Spain, a Spaniard, or both?

I hadn't heard of the upcoming elections, I havent been able to catch much television in the last couple days and have only heard through quick quips that Al-Queda is claiming responsibility. Are you under the impression that this could possibly be a political maneuver?

 

[Bry]

Lil,

Thanks again for your solidarity.

I am an American, my wife and her family are Spanish.

The upcoming election in Spain complicates any analysis considerably. All of the political groups have agreed to suspend events and rallies related to the election, and I must say it has been impressive the extent to which they have put aside their political differences. But every time a minister of the government, or a member of the opposition speaks, it is impossible not to interpret their words in light of the upcoming elections.

The current government has on many occasions been accused of using the citizen's fear of ETA to sway voters. The details are too numerous to list, but this has been a very significant issue during the campaign. On the other hand, Spain is no stranger to terrorist attacks, and all of those attacks until now, over the last thirty years, have been connected to ETA. It is no surprise that in the event of a terrorist attack, ETA is the first name that will come to mind for any Spaniard. They are not accustomed to their new international status as immediate ally of the US, and in general would be caught unprepared and unsuspecting by an attack from muslim extremists. However, as soon as the demensions of the attack started to become clear, I was convinced that it was not ETA at all. First, the spokesman for the now illegal political party which formerly opperated as the political arm of the ETA terrorists, made an announcement shortly after the attacks, that ETA was not responsible. Second, this attack claimed more victims than all of ETAs previous attacks combined. Third, apart from selective "executions" of political figures, ETA has always given warning in advance of an attack. They have always shown a will to limit civilian casualties. In short, this attack is completely different from the usual style of ETA, but the various members of the government, including most notably the minister who is resposible for internal security, and the official government spokesmen, were very quick to pin the responsibility for the attack on ETA, in spite of a complete lack of evidence. I can't help but question the motives of ministers who, given their positions in national security, I would ordinarily expect to be too careful to allow themselves the luxury of unsubstantiated allegations.

Now, more than a day later, there is evidence that the detonators and the expolsives used were completely different from those used in previous ETA attacks, though official government sources refuse to corroberate this. Everything now points to the connection to muslim extremists, but the governing party insists on inserting insinuations about ETAs responsibility in all of their discourse.

As I have previously mentioned, an attack from ETA would singularly strengthen support for the current ruling party. An attack from muslim extremists would generally stregthen the support for the opposition which counts on the fact that Spain supported the war in Iraq in spite of polls which showed more than 90% of the population were against the war and Spanish involvement. The election is Sunday, and all of the polls were too close to call.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Originally posted by Bry
My family and I are okay. Your concern is appreciated.

One of the trains was about a block from my apartment when it exploded (our apartment is next to Atocha train station). The train which exploded there had not quite arrived to the station, where it would have filled to its limits before continuing on. Thirty seconds later, the mortality rate would have doubled. My wife usually takes the same train to work every morning, but yesterday, she was in bed: the university professors had convened a work stoppage for Thursday.

The question of who was responsible is somewhat delicate. National elections are to be held on Sunday, and the government was quick to indicate, inspite of a lack of evidence, that ETA (the Basque separatists) were responsible. Such a verdict would sway public opinion in favor of the current government, while an Al Qaeda link would have the opposite effect.

Bry

Who do you think it was?

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Originally posted by rtwngAvngr
Who do you think it was?

Oh never mind. I saw your other post. SPooky about your wife's close call. I'm glad you guys are ok.

 

[5stringJeff]

Bry, very good to hear that you are safe, along with your family. Be safe over there.

 

[UsaPride]

Wow, Bry, that was close. I'm so sorry to hear of what happened, but I'm releived some that, from what you said, the train hadn't reached the station yet to pick up the other passengers. So very sad!!
This does bring up something that I've been thinking. I've heard over and over (other message board) from the Democrats that there was never any proof that Iraq and Al Queda had any connections, therefore we shouldn't have went to war with Iraq. Now, I hear that if it was Al Queda (in Spain), that they did it because Spain helped US in the war in Iraq. If the first statement is true, then why would Al Queda care about attacking Spain. You know. Probably off topic but thought I'd post it.

 

[OCA]

Excellent point although I wouldn't put it past Al Qaeda to attack any friend of the U.S. regardless if Al Qaeda was in Iraq or not which only a fool thinks they weren't. My reasons being that 1. Sadaam was all about the money and Al Qaeda had plenty of it 2. Sadaam was paying money to the family of Palestinian suicide bombers which again does not take a genius to figure that Hamaas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and Al Qaeda are all mixed up with each other.