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Spain stops more plots by Islamic militants
International Herald Tribune ^ | 3/14/2005 | Elaine Sciolino

Posted on 03/13/2005 11:21:26 AM PST by DaoPian

MADRID One year after the worst terrorist attack in Spanish history, the Spanish police continue to uncover and thwart new plots involving Islamic militants... Despite sweeping measures to improve their ability to investigate potential terrorist threats since the March 11, 2004, bomb attacks that left 191 train victims and a policeman dead, ...there are hundreds of people scattered in cells around the country committed to attacking centers of power in Spain. "We have been lucky that our investigations have managed to abort other plots before acts of terrorism took place," Juan Fernando López Aguilar, the justice minister, said in an interview. "That means the threats have not disappeared."

Last September, the police arrested 10 Pakistanis suspected of belonging to a support network for Islamic militants. The raid turned up a video showing details of a number of buildings in Barcelona, including...the two buildings known as Spain's "twin towers." The police also seized documents and videos calling for an Islamic holy war, several pounds of cocaine and more than $20,000 in cash. The group apparently raised money through drug trafficking, falsifying documents and extortion, the intelligence officials said. They said they had evidence that the cell sent the money to cells in Pakistan that were loyal to Al Qaeda. But no evidence of any link to the March 11 attacks was found. The senior intelligence official at the Civil Guard said the group was sending money to the same Islamic militants who killed the American journalist Daniel Pearl of The Wall Street Journal in 2002 in Pakistan.

Investigators are trying to piece together whether there are connections between operatives of Al Qaeda in Spain and the Madrid bombings. Evidence about the cells indicates that Spain is still a target for terrorist attacks despite the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq.

(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: foiled; gwot; islam; jihad; jihadineurope; koranimals; muslim; rop; spain; terrorism; terrorists; trop
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The Spanish are seriously in denial, most would just wish this would all go away. Zapatero vowed "we will forget!" One of my in-laws secretly confided to me that he thought Zapatero was "Bambi".

"Several pounds of Cocaine" !! Columbian Connection? Hmm?

Spent Xmas there last year in Madrid and it was impossible to avoid all crowded places, buses, or subway. Definately not as fun. All that Jamon, Salchicha, and Vino must drive the Islamists nuts.

I think the Muslims would like to have the Iberian Peninsula back again.

1 posted on 03/13/2005 11:21:27 AM PST by DaoPian
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To: DaoPian
I thought if you played nice with terrorists they'll leave you alone?
2 posted on 03/13/2005 11:23:33 AM PST by ServesURight
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To: DaoPian
I think the Muslims would like to have the Iberian Peninsula back again.

The Muslims controlled Spain for a longer period than the time since they were expelled.

3 posted on 03/13/2005 11:25:55 AM PST by Paleo Conservative (I Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Andrew Heyward's got to go!)
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To: DaoPian
PHOTOS OF THE BUILDINGS CAN BE FOUND HERE

There were built in 1992 are are 154 meters high.

4 posted on 03/13/2005 11:27:00 AM PST by doug from upland (Ray Charles --- a great musician and safer driver than Ted Kennedy)
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To: doug from upland

Haven't had the pleasure of visiting Barcelona, heard it was a fun town. Again, the "Catalans" would argue if that is even in Spain.


5 posted on 03/13/2005 11:29:57 AM PST by DaoPian
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To: DaoPian

I had given thought to visiting Spain, but no way after they pulled their troops.


6 posted on 03/13/2005 11:34:07 AM PST by doug from upland (Ray Charles --- a great musician and safer driver than Ted Kennedy)
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To: DaoPian

I always liked Spain, but will never go there again unless and until the voters get rid of that that communist stench in Zapatero.


7 posted on 03/13/2005 11:38:59 AM PST by onedoug
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To: ServesURight

Guess appeasement doesn't work.


8 posted on 03/13/2005 11:42:43 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: DaoPian

Those Crusades weren't such a bad idea afterall.


9 posted on 03/13/2005 11:45:34 AM PST by rudyudy
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To: DaoPian
They are NOT militants. They are TERRORISTS!
10 posted on 03/13/2005 11:46:52 AM PST by Spruce
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To: doug from upland; onedoug

I married a Spaniard, so familial visits yearly are obligatory. I thought about making them meet us in London, but the weather there sucks. The drink and food can't be beat.


11 posted on 03/13/2005 11:47:03 AM PST by DaoPian
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To: doug from upland

They're wonderfully kind and generous people. I was ops officer of a squadron in that beautiful country 1971 - 73 and found the locals to be as pro-American as the folks in Kansas or Utah. Of course, things can change.


12 posted on 03/13/2005 11:49:41 AM PST by middie
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To: DaoPian
Seek out conservative merchants.

Have a great time. Best to you and your spouse.

13 posted on 03/13/2005 11:51:08 AM PST by onedoug
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To: onedoug

I'm not too proud to say that I sponge off my in-laws while I'm there. I bring Made in USA gifts and buy mostly food items and cutlery. I'm pretty sure the guys selling the big Hams are decent fold. Anyway, we don't get into politics in the meat store.


14 posted on 03/13/2005 11:56:04 AM PST by DaoPian
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To: DaoPian

Ah, the failed policy of Zapatero and the appeasers of terrorism. When will people learn that islamic terrorists want to exterminate the west whether or not you give into their demands. At least the terrorists respect nations that fight them. Spain deserves the problems it has because of the cowardice of their voters and the anti-war crowd.


15 posted on 03/13/2005 1:02:37 PM PST by Wolfhound777 (It's not our job to forgive them. Only God can do that. Our job is to arrange the meeting)
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To: DaoPian
The Spanish caught them HOW?? Dam must be they were wearing signs saying "I am a terrorist" ??
16 posted on 03/13/2005 2:17:32 PM PST by Fast1 (Destroy America buy Chinese goods,Shop at Wal Mart)
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To: DaoPian

Spain in April.


17 posted on 03/13/2005 2:36:29 PM PST by larryjohnson (USAF(ret))
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To: larryjohnson

Hot Tip: Across from the Atocha Station, El Brillante, the best Bocarones (Calamari Sandwich) in town.


18 posted on 03/13/2005 2:45:18 PM PST by DaoPian
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To: Do not dub me shapka broham; TexKat; Seadog Bytes
Ping!
19 posted on 03/13/2005 7:44:02 PM PST by SunkenCiv (last updated my FreeRepublic profile on Sunday, March 13, 2005.)
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To: Spktyr; DaoPian; Alouette; rudyudy; kipita; Lijahsbubbe; Paleo Conservative; doug from upland; ...
Those who say that Islamic Jihad was merely for the defense of the "homeland of Islam" diminish the greatness of the Islamic way of life and consider it less important than than their 'homeland'. This is not the Islamic point of view, and their view is a creation of the modern age and is completely alien to Islamic consciousness...

Of course, in that case the defense of the "homeland of Islam" is the defense of the Islamic beliefs, the Islamic way of life, and the Islamic community. However, its defense is not the ultimate objective of the Islamic movement of Jihad but is a means of establishing the Divine authority within it so that it becomes the headquarters for the movement of Islam, which is then to be carried throughout the EARTH to the WHOLE of mankind, as the object of this religion is ALL humanity and its sphere of action is the WHOLE earth.

Excerpt from "Milestones", by Sayyid Qutb. Reprinted in "Extreme Islam", edited by Adam Parfey.

This man's brother was the tutor of Osama Bin Laden, when UBL was an Islamic seminary student, in Saudi Arabia.

Is it any wonder that the lunatics running Al Qaeda want to reclaim Andalusia?

20 posted on 03/13/2005 10:31:40 PM PST by Do not dub me shapka broham (Protagoras was the leading SOPHIST of his day. Think about it.)
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