Bombers: Osama or ETA? (Atricle containing some new info)

The Sun [UK] ^ | March 13, 2003 | John Troup and Neil Syson

[quidnunc]

Spanish police last night established a direct link between the white “Koran van” and an unexploded train bomb in Madrid.

But they are still unsure whether the bombings were the work of Osama Bin Laden, Basque terror group ETA — or BOTH.

Investigators found a mobile phone in the van — and have proved a link to another phone found in a sports bag packed with explosives on the train that was ripped apart at El Pozo station.

Also in the van was a tape reciting verses of the Koran and a seventh detonation device.

The developments could prove the attacks were the work of Islamic terrorists, part of Bin Laden’s terror network.

But sources close to Spanish authorities said they were still keeping an open mind as the Koran tape could have been planted as a smokescreen.

The white van was found at Alcala de Henares, where all four trains travelled from.

Last night a witness came forward to say he had seen three indivduals emerging from the van with their hair and mouths masked.

In Madrid, theories were gathering pace that ETA could have been working in league with Islamic terrorists.

Some of the tactics used to detonate the bombs indicated al-Qaeda involvement.

But the holdall that did not explode contained explosives often used by Basque terrrorists.

ETA yesterday denied responsibility for the bombings in phone calls to a TV station and newspaper.

A caller said the group “has no responsibility whatsover for the Madrid attacks”. In the past it has been ready to admit its involvement.

Earlier, Spanish police issued mugshots of nine ETA suspects who they believe could be behind the atrocity.

-snip-

[Brian_Baldwin]

It would not surprise me if it were BOTH (ETA and Al Queda). This is nothing new, for the last ten years we have seen the alliance of terror. We see LEFTIST groups, pro-Castro groups, who I say there is evidence that they worked WITH the Usama bin Laden network to bring in Anthrax into USA via Florida and then on to Chicago, from there handed off by leftwing groups to Muslim terrorist cells and other nuts in general. We see the many left wing web pages prior to 911, all pro Saddam regime, pretenders of concern for "Iraqi children" (the embargo) etc. all the while spewing such horrific hate of America and the west in general. The same people love the Palestinian terrorists, love Al Queda .. why? Because all these terrorists are the same, and for most they all hate America, hate Western culture, want to see us destroyed. They join with other terrorists, with the ETA and so many others.

No, this would not be surprising at all.

I cry for Spain. I play the Juanito Valderrama - Esperanza Macarena for the victims of this horror.

What happenedin Madrid, it can and surely will happen on a subway here.

Those who will do this to us, they will cross the Mexican border.

Those who want to do this to us, they have already crossed the Mexican border.

We need Amnesty for America, not for the illegals.

Protect our borders. Now.

[Sacajaweau]

Terrorists All!!!!!

[Brian_Baldwin]

You know, I remember ... seeing and hearing Mexicans at a soccer match ... against the USA ... they cheered "U-SAA-MAA! UUU-SAAA-MAAA! (Osama)" ... they cheered the terrorists.

You see?

The illegal alien hordes flood over our border.

Did they also cheer "U-SAAA-MAA" ?

These hordes, they will become America's "ETA".

Just watch.

[Cicero]

That has been my feeling from the beginning. It was most likely done by Islamic terrorists, with the help of ETA or perhaps some breakaway branch of the ETA analogous to the IRA Provisionals. Freepers may remember that the Provos thought the regular IRA was too lenient and tame.

There was another thread on such a breakaway branch here today, saying that they were calling on all "colonists" -- i.e. non-Basques, to leave Basque territory.

[HarryCaul]

"Earlier, Spanish police issued mugshots of nine ETA suspects who they believe could be behind the atrocity"

Round up the usual suspects.

[Brian_Baldwin]

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040313/images/13madrid.jpg

The World Trade Center effect All angles under Spain scanner

A student’s painted hand with the ribbon of mourning during a demonstration in central Oviedo on Friday against the explosions in Madrid. (Reuters)

Madrid, March 12: Spain vowed today to follow every lead to hunt down the Madrid train bombers as all Europe waited on edge for word of whether Basque or Muslim militants were behind the bloodiest guerrilla attack on a European city.

But fears that Islamists linked to al Qaida might have had a hand in the coordinated blitz put security forces on alert across the continent and beyond.

“No line of investigation will be ruled out,” Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar said minutes before mourning Spaniards fell silent across the nation to honour the nearly 200 dead.

Washington said a letter claiming responsibility for al Qaida and threatening another September 11-style strike could be the “precursor” of another plot against America.

[HarryCaul]

i'm fairly certain we won't hear what the Spanish govt thinks until after the elections. Sunday maybe.

[lonewacko_dot_com]

Here's an article about a new, even more militant Basque group: http://english.pravda.ru/society/2002/09/14/36597.html

[Ronin]

It's never been any big secret that terrorist organizations cooperate with each other.

I would not be a bit surprised if some people associated with ETA were willing to provide logistical support, for money or otherwise, to the actual perps.

But I don't think that the ETA knew about it, or would have approved it if they did. Not that it matters.

As Steyn said in his article earlier today, the War on Terror is just that -- a war. And the enemy is/are the terrorists regardless which banner they act under.

So, ultimately, it doesn't really matter who the perps are. This is a strong reminder why we are fighting this war, and why we need to continue the battle.

But don't expect Kerry of the rest of the DemonCRAPs to understand that.

[Brian_Baldwin]

I just went out to the internet to investigate and gather information about the ETA from the ETA and their sympathizers themselves. And what do I find? I find AGAIN THE LEFT WING SUPPORTING, IN ALLIANCE, WITH TERRORISTS. I find the same rhetoric, e.g. “Images from a people's struggle” (images of ETA “fighters” et all) ... they call it “people’s struggle”, that is what the Left always calls terrorists who they hope will kill innocents. They call it the “Basque struggel” yadda yadda. Just as the same Leftists were aligned with the Saddam regime.

Read this:

http://www.ict.org.il/inter_ter/orgdet.cfm?orgid=8

Basque Homeland and Freedom

Euskadi Ta Askatasuna

The Basque Fatherland and Liberty group was founded in 1959 by a group of student activists dissatisfied with the moderate nationalism of the traditional Basque party. The group's aim is the creation of an independent homeland in Spain's Basque region. The group has a loose commitment to Marxism.

At present ETA's principal demands are:

I am not going to go into their "DEMANDS". But as I go through their various web sites, I find the Communists, the Socialist, and I find this pigs PRAISING THE "STRUGGLE" OF THE PALESTINIANS AND THE "IRAQI RESISTENCE" yadda, yadda ... I FIND PRO-CASTRO LINKS! All the same CRAP! These people ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER, THE TERRORIST NETWORK IS WORKING TOGETHER, IT IS THE LEFT, IT IS THE MUSLIM FANATICS, and you will see, we will find links with the O.K. bombing incident via Nazi's in US and MUSLIM TERRORIST link all working together on the Federal Building bombing.

They work together.

The Left.

The Muslim nuts.

The pro-Castro cock roaches.

The ETA.

Tamil Tigers.

ON and on and on.

Iran.

Saudis.

All working together on terror.

The IRA.

All together.

GO and look for yourself - go to the ETA sites, and you will find it.

Marxism.

... shaking hands ...

... with Muslims ...

... who kill ...

... who bomb ...

Who praise Castro... "struggle" is their word ...

You see?

You will see. Just go look for yourself.

I do not need to quote them ... after 30 minutes of reading their crap, it all sort of sounds like John Kerry.

[Brian_Baldwin]

I find more information as I go right to the ETA sites, and have a friend translate for me, that the French territories have remained for many of years an exceptional solid base for ETA recruits, who implemented their terrorist operations out of these territories.

[Southack]

It's worth noting that this article goes to great lengths to claim that the secular Basques have no ties to fundmentalist Al Qaeda, even though the secular Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP, the re-named Black September terrorist organization) clearly does have such connections.

 

Interesting information in the article though (if you can filter out the bias).

 

 

Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)
Spain, separatists

What is ETA?
ETA is a leftist group that uses terrorism in hopes of forming an independent Basque state in parts of northern Spain and southwest France. ETA stands for Euskadi ta Askatasuna, which means “Basque Fatherland and Liberty” in the Basque language. The State Department lists ETA as a foreign terrorist organization, and the United States and the European Union have frozen ETA assets since the September 11 attacks. Spain has long fought ETA and opposes an independent Basque homeland, though its 1978 constitution designated an autonomous Basque region with responsibility for education, health care, policing, and taxation.

Who are the Basques?

ETA car bombing, Bilbao, Spain,
Jan. 2002.
(AP Photo/EFE, Txema Fernandez)

The Basques are a linguistically and culturally distinct Christian group that has lived since the Stone Age in the mountainous region that straddles the border between modern-day Spain and France. The Basques have never had their own independent state, but they have enjoyed varying degrees of autonomy over the centuries under Spanish and French rule. About half of the 2.1 million residents of the three provinces that make up the autonomous Basque region speak fluent Basque or understand some of the language. Basque nationalists include other areas with smaller Basque-speaking minorities—the Spanish province of Navarre and three departments in southwest France—in their vision of a Basque homeland.

Who and what does ETA target?
Mostly national and regional officials and government buildings in Spain. In 1973, ETA operatives killed the aging dictator Francisco Franco’s apparent successor, Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco, by planting an underground bomb below his habitual parking spot outside a Madrid church. In 1995, an ETA car bomb almost killed Jose Maria Aznar, then leader of the conservative Popular Party and now Spain’s prime minister. The same year, investigators disrupted a plot to assassinate King Juan Carlos. And in 1999, Spanish investigators foiled a truck bombing of Madrid’s Picasso Tower, a skyscraper designed by the architect of the World Trade Center.

In addition to these ambitious targets, ETA has also targeted many regional officials and institutions in Basque regions, and in recent years ETA has also targeted journalists and civilians. Spanish officials arrested two ETA militants in December 2003, broke up plots to detonate two bombs at Madrid train stations, and discovered two bombs at Aragon train stations. About eight hundred people have been killed as a result of ETA violence since the 1960s.

Has ETA carried out attacks since September 11?
Yes. ETA has been quieter than usual since September 11, but experts say this may reflect successful law enforcement pressure rather than any moral or tactical retreat from terrorism by ETA. However, since September 11, ETA has been implicated in several attacks. These include:

• In May 2003, ETA allegedly killed two policemen and seriously injured two civilians in a car bomb attack in the village of Sanguesa, Navarra region.
• In March 2002, Spanish authorities defused a bomb planted at the stock exchange in Bilbao, a bomb exploded outside the home of a local politician, and a town councillor was assassinated. Spanish authorities suspect ETA in these incidents.
• In November 2001, ETA killed a judge and two police officers in the Basque region, and a French gendarme was shot, reportedly by ETA.
• In October 2001, ETA set off car bombs in Vitoria, the capital of the Basque region, and in Madrid; the latter attack injured a hundred people.

When was ETA formed?
In 1959, by young activists angered by the dictator Franco’s suppression of the Basque language and culture and frustrated with moderate Basque nationalist organizations. ETA, which soon embraced a revolutionary Marxist ideology, planted bombs that year in several cities in Spain.

Does ETA have ties to al Qaeda?
No. ETA’s secular nationalist agenda has nothing to do with the Islamist fundamentalism of Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network, and there is no credible evidence of any systematic cooperation between ETA and al Qaeda, experts say. But Qaeda cells have been discovered in Spain. In November 2001, Spanish authorities arrested eight men suspected of being Qaeda operatives involved in the September 11 attacks. One of these men reportedly had past links with ETA’s unofficial political wing, Batasuna, which the Spanish Supreme Court banned in March 2003. In September 2003, Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon said the September 11 attacks were partially planned in Spain.

[Brian_Baldwin]

I find this at a "Terrorism Q&A" site (posted prior to the latest Madrid horror):

In November 2001, Spanish authorities arrested eight men suspected of being Qaeda operatives involved in the September 11 attacks. One of these men reportedly had past links with ETA’s unofficial political wing, Batasuna, which the Spanish Supreme Court banned in March 2003. In September 2003, Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon said the September 11 attacks were partially planned in Spain.

[Brian_Baldwin]

Despite how the site tries to deny the link, yet the LINK IS THERE, DOCUMENTED, BY THE ACTIONS OF THOSE INVOLVED!

[o_zarkman44]

Any Islamic organization has to be suspected, since nearly ALL TERRORISM acts have Islamic ties. The religion of "peace and understanding" is pure violence and hatred.
Of the major terror attacks over the past 10 years, how many have Islamic ties?

The answer is obvious.

[spokeshave]

"and have proved a link to another phone found in a sports bag packed with explosives on the train that was ripped apart at El Pozo station. "

This evening on the section on world news in English from the German TV there was a terrorist expert who said the he had spoken to German anti-terrorist authorities and was told that the Spanish police got a call on that cell phone and had tracked it back .

He was MOST SURPRISED THIS INFORMATION WAS NOT RELEASED BY SPANISH AUTHORITIES who still claim was the Basques.

Comments..?

[hershey]

Everyone but the RATS will admit that terrorist organizations are in bed together, train at some of the same locations: Iraq and Al Quaeda, for instance. RATS and their flunkies, the media, can't mention it because it would mean we had a damn good reason to take down Saddam regardless of whether he'd shipped WMD's to Syria or buried them in the desert.

[Monty22]

If the basques did this, kill em all.

If islamics, just as well.

[prairiebreeze]

Thanks for that info Southack. I've been wondering for days if Basques are islamic. Now I know they are Christian.

Prairie