Cell May Be Planning 'Holy War' in Spain (Evidence of Easter attack)

The Calgary Herald / Associated Press ^ | April 8, 2004 | wire report

[threat matrix]

The suspected terrorists who died in last weekend's suicide blast planned another major attack in Madrid, possibly during this week's Easter celebrations, a court official said Wednesday.

Police also said Saturday's explosion during a police storming of an apartment may have killed seven suspects, and this and the arrests of other suspects could stir another terror cell to mount a jihad or 'holy war' in Spain, according to the official, who asked not to be identified.

The official said that explosives and other evidence found in the apartment after Saturday's explosion indicated the suspects killed planned an imminent follow up to the train attacks.

The government believes at least three of those killed in the suicide blast south of Madrid were among the six whose international arrest warrants were issued last week.

Police are looking for up to three people who may have fled the apartment before the suicide blast and are hiding out near Madrid, the newspaper El Pais reported.

[Lunatic Fringe]

This guy couldn't outrun a twinkie...

[george wythe]

:-)

Which mall is that?

[george wythe]

There are many editorials written about the perspective of the small percentage of Spanish voters who changed their support from the People's Alliance to the Socialist Party. And some of those editorials might be right, "All politics is local," to quote former Speaker Tip O'Neill.

Unfortunately, the bottom line is how the Spanish election results were perceived abroad, especially among terrorist supporters.

For al-Qaida types, their terrorist attack produced the desired results, and they are emboldened now.

And for most Americans, the Spanish vote was a capitulation to terrorism.

[VOA]

Believe it or not, it is possible to be against terrorism and to be opposed to the war in Iraq.

And to cast a vote in a vain hope to blunt the Islamic reconquista of Spain.

Wherever Churchill is, he's probably shaking his head as the Spaniards now get
a good look inside the jaws of the alligator they thought they fed with their ballots.

[reluctantwarrior]

OMTwinkie......the guy is unarmed and wouldn't know an IED from an IUD.

[reluctantwarrior]

Italian Commentary Argues Madrid Bombings Mark 'All-Out War' on Spanish Society

Milan Corriere della Sera (Internet Version) March 12, 2004

'Behind the scenes' commentary by Magdi Allam: "Pact of Blood Between ETA And Fundamentalists. Basque Brigades in Iraq Too"


Among the hundreds of foreign combatants, mostly Islamic, who poured into Iraq on the eve of the US attack on 20 March 2003, there were also around 80 Basque members of ETA. Alvaro Gorka Vidal and Badillo Izkur were two them. On 29 February they were arrested aboard a van bound for Madrid which was packed with 500 kg of explosives. Unfortunately, Spanish investigators were not aware of their past. A past which reveals a terrorist alliance between the young ETA activists, a faction of the self-styled 'Iraqi resistance' which controls the area around Fallujah and Al Ramadi, and the circuit surrounding Spain's Anti-Imperialist Camp. And which yesterday perhaps inaugurated, with the bloodiest terrorist atrocity in Europe, an unprecedented season of violence marked by the indiscriminate massacre of civilians. The Euskal Herria Brigade, Basque Territory, took part in the operations to combat the attack of the US forces in Baghdad. It was made up of young members of ETA who were ready to make the final sacrifice of their lives. They had been carefully selected by Spain's Anti-Imperialist Camp. On the basis of an inflexible faith in the Arab cause, and a strong hatred of Israel. They went first by plane to Amman or to Damascus. From there they continued by land to the Iraqi capital. Many of them returned home again. Some remained in Iraq pretending to be humanitarian workers. The attack which claimed the lives of seven agents from the Spanish secret services on 29 November in Swaira, a place 45 km south of Baghdad, is probably down to them.

The terrorist partnership between ETA and the 'Iraqi resistance' took place in Europe. Thanks to the work of agents from the secret services of Saddam Husayn, who managed to infiltrate the Anti-Imperialist Camp active in Spain and in France. These individuals returned to Iraq on the eve of the war. And they succeeded in taking control of terrorist activity in Fallujah and Al Ramadi, the two hottest hotspots inside the so-called Sunni 'Triangle of Death'. That is where the bloodiest attacks against the Americans and the Iraqi 'collaborationists' set out from. The site of the Anti-Imperialist Camp is the main media channel for publishing the communiques of the 'Iraqi resistance'. Officially, this resistance says that it has nothing to do with Usama bin Ladin. But actually it is directly involved in recruiting Islamic and non-religious would-be combatants and suicide terrorists on European soil, and sending them to Iraq. Collaborating closely with al-Qa'ida in the success of the same strategy of terror which aims at the destabilization of Iraq and the evacuation of US forces.

Spain, in common with Italy, France, and Britain, is host to al-Qa'ida cells, both active and sleeper cells. These have, to date, been involved mainly in logistical support activities. The plan which resulted in the tragic attacks of 11 September 2001 on New York and Washington was drawn up partly on Spanish soil, where Mohammad Atta, the head of the squad of 19 suicide hijackers, made a trip. Equally, Spain has become one of bin Ladin's main targets, on account of its major support for the war in Iraq, and its presence, with forces of its own, in the south of the country. It was no mystery that Spain was a sworn enemy of al-Qa'ida. What was not known was the terrorist alliance which united ETA with the 'Iraqi resistance' and, indirectly, with bin Ladin. The atrocity in Madrid represents the de facto bin Ladin-ization of terrorism in Europe. In ideological terms, essentially. What really ought to be of concern is the change in the perception of the 'enemy'. By indiscriminately striking civilians, ETA has abandoned the principle of subjective responsibility, which in the past had led it to attack individual exponents of the institutions. In order to adopt the bin Ladin-style principle of objective responsibility. All those who, in various ways, are on the side of the 'enemy' deserve death. It is legitimate to kill them. Bin Ladin does this on the basis of the takfir, condemnation, on the grounds of apostasy, of the whole of a society which agrees to living under an 'impious' or 'atheistic' power. Yesterday, by killing people indiscriminately in Madrid, all-out war has been declared against Spanish society as a whole.

It is clear that Italy is also worried by the shift up in gear on the part of terrorism in Spain, and the emergence of a terrorist holding organization, which joins together indigenous subversive elements and Arab and Islamic extremist groups. The SISMI [Intelligence and Military Security Service], our military counter-espionage service, pointed up this risk in the report which it recently sent to parliament. And thus far the work of prevention and opposition has been successful. But it is clear that we find ourselves faced with the most insidious war of globalized terrorism, capable of mobilizing the enemies who are inside and outside the West.

[COUNTrecount]

OMTwinkie......the guy is unarmed and wouldn't know an IED from an IUD.


Look again. He's armed with a Sharpie .

[nkycincinnatikid]

Believe it or not Tippy , It is apparently possible to be against poverty and be opposed to work. In fact it is even trendy. Good luck.

[DB]

Your position is flawed.

The conservative, pro Iraq war government was ahead in the pols just prior to the bombing.

[threat matrix]

That looks like one crack security staff! (is Mall Deputy Fife carrying mace there?)

[Enduring Freedom]

I believe, as you have proven, Tibbo, that it is possible to post to Free Republic and still be a flaming Socialist moron.

[Enduring Freedom]

GO SPANISH!

The term coined for an eternity that will mean:

"To turn tail and run like a girl from danger!"

[MeanFreePath]

Don't be fooled. Underneath that portly, jolly veneer dwells a raging killing machine, coiled like a steel spring and ready to explode should danger rear its impious crest...

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

They had better get busy exterminating the vermin in their midst.

[MarMema]

Interesting because supposedly the same islamoterrorists are planning a repeat attack in Kosovo on Easter, too.

[freeangel]

Let me guess, you would treat terrorism as a simple criminal problem.

[Tibbo]

To reduce the Spanish election results, as many have, to a "capitulation to terrorism" is appaling, and not backed up by the evidence.

It's symptomatic of the times, when to voice a criticism against governments who have repeatedly lied to their electorates is to be seen as somehow being soft on terrorism.

Spain and Europe in general have had decades of experience of terrorism (ETA, IRA, Red Brigades etc etc etc). Al-Qaeda are not the first to have planted bombs in Europe, nor unfortunately will they be the last. Had Aznar's government told the truth, rather than trying to blame ETA, there's every possibility that he would have won the election.

So, enough of this jingoistic condemnation of Spain's electorate. The bottom line is that if you lie to your public in matters as serious as the Madrid Bombings, you'll get the appropriate response from the electorate.

[Tibbo]

This in fact bolsters my argument.

Prior to the Governments lies on the bombing, people were generally supportive of the popular party.

Many voters changed their position, not because of some foolish capitulation to terrorists, but rather because it became apparent to everyone that the Aznar Government in a cynical election tactic lied through their teeth about the bombing.

This also mobilised many dissillusioned voters, who would not have been taken into account in polls prior to the election.

[DB]

It was Aznar's government who provided you with the information that pointed to al Qaeda only hours after the bombing.

Pretty bazaar for a government that is supposedly doing a cover up.

A little fact that escapes you.

[livius]

Aznar's government did tell the truth. As soon as police reports came out, they were released. However, the media, particularly Cadena Ser, had been out spreading hysteria ("suicide bombers," which later turned out to be non-existent) and no one wanted to listen to the truth, which was all out within twelve hours of the attack. Right away the left started chanting "Aznar miente," "Aznar lies," which they obviously got from the leftist chant here, "Bush lies." But he didn't lie about anything: ETA had tried to carry out two identical train attacks earlier in the year, and it was logical to think it was ETA. And as soon as VERIFIED truth (not rumors) came out, it was released, but it was swallowed up in the noise of the left.

The real reason the Spanish voted the way they did was media manipulation and mini-riots conducted by the Socialist party (along with other smaller left-wing parties and "peace" groups). The night before the elections, there were 10,000 "spontaneous" demonstrators in front of one PP office alone. They were so spontaneous they all had identical professionally lettered banners and placards. There are even cell-phone records of Socialist party leaders calling their devotees into the streets. All of this during a time when even routine campaigning had been called off as a sign of mourning, and on a day (election eve) when campaigning is forbidden under Spanish law.

This was organized, not by AQ, but by the left, which always uses the street to get what it can't get at the ballot box. They terrified people, even assaulted PP members and threatened voters in other parts of Spain on election day, and manipulated the elections. Were the Spanish terrified by the bombings? Of course, but they would never have capitulated without the lies of the left.

So if you're looking for liars, look to the left. But you probably already know that.