The Insider: Daily Terrorism Report
Mar. 11 -- — Eleven bombs exploded in commuter trains and stations in Madrid at the height of rush hour this morning killing more than 190 and wounding over 1,000, marking the deadliest terrorist attack on Spanish soil. 13 backpacks, each packed with roughly 25 pounds of the explosive Titadine were left under seats on four trains as they were entering four stations in Madrid. In a statement released shortly after the attack, Spanish Interior Minister Angel Acebes said the main focus of the investigation is the Basque separatist group ETA. The explosives used in the attack, Titadine, have been used by the group in previous attacks, and a van carrying Titadine was intercepted on February 29 when two suspected ETA members were arrested.
However, today's attacks were on a scale beyond anything ETA has done in the past. This has raised speculation as to whether ETA was in fact behind the attacks.
A new development since the morning has raised even further questions — the Spanish interior minister said that another van was found this morning east of Madrid, in the town of Alcana de Henares, along the commuter route to the main train station in Madrid. The van contained seven detonators and an Arabic tape with verses from the Islamic holy book, the Quran. The disclosure fueled speculation that Islamic extremists could have been involved.
TERROR IN SPAIN
At Least 190 Dead in Madrid Terror Blast
At least 190 killed in Madrid train station terror attacks, worst ever in Spain; 1,240 wounded. (AP)
Spain Says ETA Responsible for Madrid Train Blasts
Armed Basque separatists ETA were responsible for a series of bombs which tore through rush-hour trains on Thursday ... "It is absolutely clear that the terrorist organisation ETA was seeking an attack with wide repercussions," Acebes told a news conference, dismissing speculation that any other group could be involved. (Reuters)
Experts Unsure About ETA Involvement
A spokesman for the Spanish government laid the blame for the series of bombs that tore through packed Madrid commuter trains on Thursday morning in the hands of Basque separatist group ETA. But many experts had doubts, and the possibility of a link to al Qaeda or other Islamist groups has been raised. (Aftenposten — Norway)
Spain: Van, Detonators, Quran Tapes Found
Spain says Arabic-language tape, van with detonators found in Madrid rail blast probe. (AP)
Purported Qaeda Letter Claims Spain Bombings-Paper
A letter purporting to come from Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network claimed responsibility for train bombings in Spain on Thursday, calling them strikes against "crusaders," a London-based Arabic newspaper said. (Reuters)
Note: The credibility of the claim is doubted since the same group claimed responsibility for a number of other operations in the past, including the blackout in the U.S. and the power failure in London.
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