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".

[Sacajaweau]

1+1 = 2,3,4

I always see Alqueda when I see these types of numbers. They always seem to interconnect.

What were the flight nos. which were grounded a little while back?

[wjcsux]

This smells like Al-Quaeda. ETA has denied responsibility(they don't do that when they do it), and I don't think ETA has ever tried for such mass death.

This isn't an ETA trademark. They usually go after government or "Capitalist" targets, not the general Spanish populus.

[mvonfr]

Yes. Still, my suspicions right are on the Islamists: an operation on this scope cannot possibly help ETA.

Lets see who takes credit.

[sarasota]

Kerry would also politely ask the UN for a permission slip before taking action.

[Starve The Beast]

...that 13 bombs were meant to go off together ...

Just a speculation, but this really does smell like al Queada (and that's a smell to put you off your lunch, let me tell you).

al Queada likes to pull off multiple attacks simultaneously. They seem to think it's impressive that their suicide bombers can tell time, so you always get a bunch of attacks together, which it looks like this may have been. Also, this attack was very clearly intended to cause the maximize human casualties, another hallmark if Islamic terrorists.

[sarasota]

So does this ambassador realize that many will then think that it's Spain's problem? And how the heck does he know who did it?

[sharktrager]

The whole point of terrorism is to get credit for the purpose of advancing your agenda. The unspoken promise is that the terrorists will stop when they get what they want.

If the ETA says it wasn't them, I would say you have to take them at their word.

[sarasota]

Be afraid. Be very afraid because there are many, many individuals who in fact do believe this. Take the Teresa Heinz Kerry charity and the 9.11 Peacekeepers ploy to shake down Bush's ad. Their version of keeping the peace is to put their heads in the sand and pretend that it will go away.

[pittsburgh gop guy]

WE STAND WITH SPAIN!

In this hour of trouble, may they be comforted to know that the United States of America is with them and will assist in tracking down the evil-doers.

"Spain supports, has supported, and will support all the United States' efforts to track down, to eradicate and to eliminate terrorism wherever it may be worldwide. We intend to maintain and, if necessary, strengthen our political commitment, our cooperation in the area of intelligence and security and information-sharing, and, if need be, to commit military forces to that battle."

Comments by President Aznar of Spain on November 28, 2001. Spain (a member of New Europe) has been a great ally in the War on Terror.

I hope President Bush goes over in the next couple of days, and offers our personal sympathy and support.

[Richard Kimball]

I just heard the Spanish ambassador on FOX and he insisted that this was the work of ETA, the Basque separatist terrorists.

This reminds me of the old Rocky and Bullwinkle show. Bullwinkle was reading a poem, a lion attacked him, so he ran up into the upper portion of the stage. Rocky asked him why he was up there, and he said he lost his poetry book. Rocky says, "you lost it down there, why are you looking up here?"

Bullwinkle looks at the lion tearing his book to shreds, and says, "the lights are better up here."

Just like JFnK, Europe will pretend this isn't happening because it does not coincide with their post-modern viewpoint.

BTW, post-modernism is dead. It's just going to take a while for the "smart people" to realize it.

[Betaille]

"This isn't an ETA trademark."

Not only does ETA claim responsibility for their attacks... they even warn ahead of time to MINIMIZE civilian casualties. This has no mark of ETA whatsoever and the spanish government is in wishful thinking mode. They need to accept the fact that the RELIGION OF PEACE is after them too now.

[Shermy]

If it is Islamofascists, then we must ask, Why Spain?

They want Aznar out, and Iraq unstable. Good for Saudi and Iranian oil prices.

Supply-side Oil War Ping!

[Betaille]

"If it is Islamofascists, then we must ask, Why Spain?"

Spain supported us in Iraq. But mostly, they want spain because spain used to be muslim(al-andaluz) and the muslims desperately want it back. ubl has said as much.

[FoxInSocks]

world's most feared, faceless and fabulously inventive Islamist terrorist group

Let's pile on some more praise.

[David Hunter]

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.

Hmm, surely the whole idea of organised terrorism is to take responsibility for the atrocity, so that people know WHY it was carried out. If its blamed on someone else then the reason it was carried out becomes completely irrelevant. Unless the terrorists are trying to kill as many soldiers as possible without incurring any retaliation, but that would be quite different to killing hundreds of unarmed civilians in a capital city.

[dayton law dude]

Only problem is that this is 11/3 to them, not 3/11.

That's exactly true. That is probably the reason why they had to explain it like the reader was a two year old in the article: ...begun to wonder if 3/11 - the 11th day of the third month

[cwb]

Exactly. And the media already has its talking points lined-up so if it is AQ, they will blame Bush for not getting him OBL and pussy-footing around in Iraq. Unfortunately, these dweebs still don't understand that even if OBL is taken out, the WOT still continues. AQ and its splinter groups are spread out all over the world...so even if you cut off the head, the cells still exist to carry out their terrorism. Just as the war in Iraq continues after the capture of Saddam, so will the WOT after the capture of OBL. As Bush has made clear... this isn't a war against OBL; it is a war against terrorism and all those who participate.

[Dog Gone]

The Spanish discovered some unexploded bombs which they were able to examine. If they say the bombs are constructed the way ETA makes them, which they apparently have stated, then you should take them at their word.

The Spanish are not idiots. They know ETA better than you do, and they have quite a few in custody.

They also know that aligning themselves with America in the War on Terror made them potential targets of al-Qaida.

If the Spanish say it was the ETA, then it was.

[Dog Gone]

I hope President Bush goes over in the next couple of days, and offers our personal sympathy and support.

The Spanish have national elections in three days, and are trying to deal with this. The gesture might be appreciated, but now is not a good time.