Spain Announces Five Arrests in Bombings

Reuters, AP | 3/13/04

[Alberta's Child]

The 1993 WTC attack was not a suicide bombing, but for all intents and purposes it may as well have been -- the planners of that attack had arranged things in such a way that the perpetrators were going to get caught.

Ironically, the morons who carried out the attack didn't even realize this.

[Publius6961]

I hope your "Jews on the train" was some sardonic wit. Jews get killed all the time by these Islamic nihilistic terrrorist.

Lighten up. This was a clear reference to the sandmaggots' usual tactic of blaming the Jews for incidents where Jews are killed, like the World Trade Center, restaurant bombings in Israel, etc. Yes, the muslim/terrorist network-lunatic fringe partnership inevitably blames the Jews themselves, ostensibly as a means to maintain world sympathy. You need to be an idiot or a sandmaggot to buy into that... but I repeat myself...

[empirekin768]

Probably Pakistanis using Indian passports, it's happened before.

[gitmo]

If you can do better, please do so for those of us who can't translate it at all.

[livius]

It's very infuriating. Think our elections, and think Kerry.

[Truth666]

"3 Moroccans, 2 Indians"

That fits plan B - keywords (arab, muslim) avoided

[dennisw]

Thanks!

[Dog]

Turn on CNN

[Catspaw]

Didn't bin Laden use Kashmir (and Chechnya) as a training ground for his terrorists?

[hellinahandcart]

There is still a Baathist regime in place in Syria.

And plenty of non-Muslim Westerners as fellow travelers.

[jiggyboy]

You're right about the Spanish-Muslim conflict. "Matamoros" ("kill Moors", i.e, Muslims) has been a common surname in Spain forever. I would imagine though that it doesn't stir anybody up at an unconscious level any more than "Kilpatrick", for example, does for us.

[Reader of news]

In Spanish, "Indio" usually means "Native American". "Hindú" means "citizen of India" or "member of a religion of India".

[elhombrelibre]

I understand but didn't catch it in the context of the rest of the remarks.

[Crazieman]

[Bobibutu]

Possible al-Qaida Link Found in Attack

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040313/ap_on_re_eu/norway_spain_bombings_2

Sat Mar 13, 9:36 AM ET


MOLDE, Norway - Norwegian researchers have found documents that could link the al-Qaida network to terror bombings that killed 200 people in Madrid, Spain.

Experts from the government's Norwegian Defense Research Establishment said the documents found on an Arabic-language Web site last year suggest Spain as a possible terror target because the country had been part of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq (news - web sites).

"We must make maximum use of the proximity to the elections in Spain in March next year. Spain can stand a maximum of two or three attacks before they will withdraw from Iraq," the documents said, according to daily newspaper VG.

A series of bombs hidden in backpacks exploded in quick succession Thursday, blowing apart four commuter trains and killing at least 200 people and wounding more than 1,400 in the Spanish capital. The attacks occurred ahead of Sunday's national elections.

Researcher Thomas Hegghammer told the paper the researchers first thought the 42-page document referred to attacks against coalition forces in Iraq.

"But the fact that they specifically mention the election in Spain, makes us have to see this in the light of the action in Madrid, three days before the election," Hegghammer said.

Norwegian Defense Research Establishment spokeswoman Anne-Lisa Hammer told The Associated Press the researchers would not speak to journalists Saturday, but added that the Norwegian reports were accurate.

State broadcaster NRK said the documents do not refer to Thursday's attacks in Madrid but outline a strategy to pressure Spain, described as the weakest link in the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, to stop cooperating with the United States.

"The author, who is anonymous, is very well-oriented in Spanish politics. We cannot say for sure that this document stems from al-Qaida. We don't have any reason, either, to believe that it isn't real," researcher Brynjar Lia told VG.

The document suggests attacks on Spain would lead to the collapse of the fragile Iraq coalition set up by the United States if they forced Spain to withdraw.

Spanish officials blame the attacks on Basque separatists from the group ETA, which denied responsibility. An Islamic group linked with suspected al-Qaida links has claimed blame in a statement telefaxed to an Arabic newspaper in London.

[Alberta's Child]

Do they have a goal, or are they simply doing as much damage as they can out of anger and spite?

Maybe they are living a marginal existence in the West right now, and they look upon this as something to justify their existence. Who knows?

[dogbyte12]

My guess is that England is next, before us. They will most likely try something in London if this is Al-Quaida. Poland and Australia to follow. They want to "teach a lesson" to anybody who takes our side.

[freeperfromnj]

Do you give any credence to the letter claiming the U.S. attack is 90% ready to go? and do they have operatives already here and in place? I suspect we'll see code orange once again before Monday.

[Dog]

7 arrested....3 Moroccans 2 Indian.....2 Spaniard's

[traumer]

Indians !?

that doesn't make sense....