Is Europe's 3/11 America's 9/11? (Must Read)

The Times of India ^ | THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2004 | RASHMEE Z. AHMED

[nickcarraway]

LONDON: As four powerful bombs bloodied the Spanish capital Madrid killing 173, in Europe’s deadliest act of terror after the Lockerbie bombings, major European capitals have begun to wonder if 3/11 - the 11th day of the third month – is meant to be the Old World’s 9/11?

As news filtered in that 13 bombs were meant to go off together in one of Europe’s most historic and vibrant capitals, Britain significantly declared it to be "an assault on the very principle of European democracy".

Spain goes to the polls on Sunday.

Some of Europe’s leading terrorism experts agreed the bombs ahead of ballots could be as significant an assault on Western democracy as 9/11's crumbling twin towers attacked the symbol of Western capitalism.

So could it have been al-Qaeda, hooking up for the very first time with a largely secular European nationalist grouping?

Could the world’s most feared, faceless and fabulously inventive Islamist terrorist group really be wreaking revenge for Spain's controversial participation in the US-led, UK-backed militaristic coalition against terror?

And if so, is Britain, America’s closest ally in the war on terror, next?

Officially, Spain does not think it is al-Qaeda. With European capitals shuddering at the thought that al-Qaeda might have left its calling card right at the heart of Europe, Spain’s interior minister Angel Acebes blamed the homegrown ETA. ETA is fighting a violent separatist campaign to free the Basque region.

But in a deepening mystery, a leader of ETA’s banned political wing, Herri Batasuna, said "Arab resistance", not ETA, was not to blame.

The denial, said ETA expert Professor Paul Heywood, was unusual. ETA has nearly always claimed responsibility in 35 years of attacks, which claimed 800 lives altogether. If ETA were proved to have pulled off the Madrid spectacular, it would be assured undreamt-of publicity.

The Basque blame for "Arabs" blew a chill wind threw European chancelleries. But, some leading British security analysts said there was a risk of terrorist groups using al-Qaeda and Islamist resistance as a fig leaf for their actions.

Even so, some of the world’s leading experts on ETA admitted they are puzzled by the unprecedented scale of the attacks.

The modus operandi too, with unannounced coordinated multiple blasts perfectly timed for the rush hour and maximum human suffering were unusual, said a leading authority on ETA, Paddy Woodworth in Dublin.

With worrying candour, Professor Paul Wilkinson, a leading terrorism expert at St Andrews University, said al-Qaeda's handiwork or not, the attacks may underline the al-Qaeda effect on global terrorism.

"Terrorist groups learn from each other", he said.

Late on Thursday, Tony Blair said the attacks underlined the worldwide terrorist threat. The president of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, said it was "a declaration of war on democracy".

Spain’s wannabe prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, who heads the governing Popular Party, said it was a "massive assassination which has plunged democracy into mourning".

[nickcarraway]

Of course, they would prefer to blame it on ETA, then to think Al Qaeada is attacking them.

[Betaille]

"The usual ETA pattern is to warn in advance about bombs so as to minimize the civilian casualties."
Exactly. This does not look like ETA. I would bet money that this was Islamic terrorists

[Rutles4Ever]

the Spanish interior minister's ADAMANT accusation that this is ETA stinks to high heaven. Why on earth would somebody make such an irresponsible statement before an investigation could even begin? Why WOULDN'T they suspect al Qaeda? If I were a Spaniard, I would be pissed that my government had already written off a legitimate suspect and potentially led an investigation down the wrong path.

Something doesn't add up...Like I said before -- blaming the ETA is a political maneuver...

[carton253]

Why Spain? Because Spain has stood shoulder to shoulder with us in the fight on the war on terror - and especially Iraq.

[laconic]

Its been documented that the ETA: 1) tried to bomb the Madrid train station at Christmas and were caught first; and, 2) ETA cowards were caught with 1,200 pounds of bombs when stopped in a routine traffic check by Madrid police. Perhaps this is just cover for the alQaeda scum, but it certainly looks like a pattern on ETA's part: Bombs/Madrid/Trains and just four days before the national elections.

[jpl]

If it is Islamofascists, then we must ask, Why Spain? IMO, because GWB and particularly John Ashcroft have made it too difficult for them to do it here again.

Also, I'd add that

1) Spain has been a staunch ally of the U.S. in our war against the terrorists.
2) Spain used to be under Muslim control centuries ago, and the Muslim extremists feel that they're entitled to try and regain permanent control of any lands that they once held by any means necessary.

[GulliverSwift]

That doesn't mean anything. Would you trust a murderer to tell the truth? They may very well not want to claim responsibility to avoid trouble for themselves.

[B Knotts]

Exactly. The very first thought that came into my head when I heard about these bombings is that it was Islamic terrorism, not ETA.

[Ophiucus]

I know that this is going to be politically incorrect -- but kill them all - kill every last man of them. (the terrorists and not Muslims in general)

Possibly - but it is the right thing to do.

[PISANO]

I don't think it matters on wit whether this is the work of Al Qaeda or any other TERRORSIT group. The fact is WE ARE AT WAR WITH TERRORISTS!! Sooner the WORLD gets that in their HEADS the better. GW knows it, however the press/media will attempt to water down this event as though somehow this attack on SPAIN was not as IMPORTANT unless it was an Al Qaeda operation.

[kevao]

Why Spain? Because Spain has stood shoulder to shoulder with us in the fight on the war on terror - and especially Iraq.

Spain was a next-best target -- the United States is the real prize; and, fortunately for us, GWB and Ashcroft have done a good job keeping the homeland safe.

[B Knotts]

You are correct. Remember that in one of his rambling screeds, bin Laden mentioned the "tragedy of Andalusia."

Yeah, it could be ETA, but I doubt they would be denying it if it was. That ain't their M.O.

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[browsin]

And if so, is Britain, America’s closest ally in the war on terror, next?

Americans,Israelis,Australians and now Spaniards have all been directly targeted on a large scale by terrorists.Out of the major six anti-terrorist/coalition/pro-democracy nations that leaves only Britain and Poland.Time for extreme vigilance on the part of both nations.

[carton253]

I agree! The issue isn't Al Qaeda...the issue is terrorism.

Too many times, the media (and some Dems) want to try to sort out who is who in the world of terror.

This is an exercise in futility.

There is only one hornet's nest. Instead of worrying which wasp will sting and which wasp will not -- exterminate the nest. Exterminate every last hornet.

[carton253]

Don't forget Portugal... their prime minister joined Blair, Anzar, and the President on the fateful news conference on the Azores.

[KJacob]

"John Kerry says the threat of terrorism is overblown."

I am waiting for someone to claim that this happened because Bush made the terrorists MAD by pursuing them. If only Bush had done nothing after 9/11 the terrorists would have left the whole world alone. I am scared that there are many who really believe this.

[Betaille]

I agree that we should be just as angry no matter who it was. But the fact is that the war on terror is mostly against islamic terrorists. They are the ones who kill as many people as they possibly can. This looks alot more like al qaeda... ETA probably had relatives on those trains.

[CSM]

Exactly. Do you know if GWB has issued a statement? I hope that he plans to return the support!