MERGED: Madrid Bombing

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If it's al-Qaeda, though, why Spain? It seems that the Basque group is more likely, given the political climate.

:( :( :(

It never :censored:ing ends.
 
paxetaurora said:
If it's al-Qaeda, though, why Spain? It seems that the Basque group is more likely, given the political climate.


That's what I want to know. There's some news on the atrocity on some of the Spanish sites and they are all blaming the Basque group.
 
there are a lot of people who aren't convinced it was an eta attack because there are a lot of differences between this incident and other eta attacks. eta have normally attacked either tourist areas (to damage the tourist industry) or police and military targets (ie political targets). they also often give a warning before attacks and there was no warning of this one. of course there are also some people suggeting this mgiht be the work of eta's "youth wing" which reportedly advocates more violent tactics.

who knows. :shrug: it's just horrifying. :( :sad:
 
I thought about it being a result of Spain being part of the "coalition of the willing". This scares the :censored: out of me. Who's next, Poland? I have famiily in Italy. God forbid..........:mad: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored:
 
Supposedly a letter claiming responsiblity on behalf of Al Qaeda was sent to a newspaper based in London. According to some news organisations it claimed that Spain was targeted because of their support for the "war on Islam." This story seems to vary between different news organisations so it might not be strictly accurate.
 
Also Spanish authorities are investigating a van which was found outside of Madrid containing detonators along with an Arabic tape with Koranic teachings. This is a much bigger blast than any previous ETA attack. The worst ETA attack killed 21 people in 1987. However, Al Qaeda is also claiming responsibility for a suicide bombing of a Masonic Lodge in Istanbul Tuesday. This is being denied by Turkish authorities. They blame fundamentalists but not Al Qaeda.
Honestly, this :censored: is never going to stop. :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored:
 
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This :censored: sucks! More or less I'm responding since I'm of Spanish ancestry. WTF is the point of killing?? I'm lost.
My condolences go out to the folks who have lost loves ones on this horrible day :(
 
NOW can you understand us???

As an Israeli and as a human being I was horrified to see the scenes of carnage in Madrid when the cowardly sons-of-bitches butchered 200 innocent people.

My deepest sympathys go to the Spanish people who have joined the Al-Quaida "hit list".

It reminded me of the scenes that I see all-too-often here either in Tel-Aviv or in Jerusalem, where innocents are slaughtered brutally by muslim terrorists who use G-d as an excuse to spread their vile poison.

The only way to deal with terrorism is to root it out, go after them ruthlessly and deal with them on their own level - whether its by military means (like we do all the time) or by hi-tech methods (like the Americans are doing).

The bastard Bin Laden and his monsterous co-horts will be caught and dealt with when the time comes, and if by chance he eludes capture, he will NEVER escape the justice of allmighty G-d who will see to it that he pays for every single innocent drop of blood that he's spilled during his reign of terror.

I hope the world can now see what and who WE have been dealing with for years and can finally understand that our fight on terrorism is necessary and they must be brought down BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE.
 
I agree wholeheartedly with you in that the best millitary solution is not bombs and tanks but more covert operations designed to decapitate leadership without harming civilians. The IDF for all the flak it recieves from some elements of the media is arguably the best millitary force in the world, it conducts operations properly and really minimizes civilian casualties in situations that could very easily get out of hand.

It is also important to realize that innocent Israelis and Palestinians are victims of the corrupt and inherently flawed vision that these fundamentalists present of a world divided and destined for a final battle, we must all take a step back and learn to sympathise for both sides in this awful conflict. For the innocents on both sides who are killed by stray bullets or homocide bomber's, for those who's human rights are suppresed in the name of religion or state security. Ultimately unless we can learn too unite against this common threat to humanity as a whole we will continue to loose lives and understanding, take a stand and say no to terrorism and yes to a real and lasting peace that is not enforced by great millitary powers or the threat of nuclear apocalypse but by mutual respect for human life, freedom and the differences that make it interesting.
 
This came from BBC: :sad:

"This is our 9/11" is a common feeling in Madrid and across the country as Spaniards awake the morning after the devastating bomb attacks on trains in the capital.
Spain's 11-M, as many of the papers here have dubbed Thursday's "Day of Infamy", has shocked the people of Spain to the core.

Government ministers have announced three days of mourning and walking through the streets of Madrid you can almost feel the weight of the shroud on the city's shoulders.

The imposing Atocha train station, where 198 people were killed in two explosions, has become a focus for people's grief and sheer disbelief at the scale of what had happened.

More people have now died in the blasts than in any other attack on Spanish soil since the Civil War in 1936. There are more victims than in the nightclub attack in Bali in 2002.

'Barbarism'

Outside Atocha Station, couples and friends walk slowly past, some leaving flowers or lighting candles, others just stopping to look as security services and rail workers continue their investigations.

"I came to see where it happened, to share the intensity of the situation," said builder Jose Manuel Gonzalez, 46.

It could have been me, it could have been him

Juan Luis Picotoso
"It just makes you feel so angry that you can't stop these fanatics. They have no love in their hearts, no love for themselves.

"Now we know how the Americans felt inside in 2001."

Another passer-by muttered quietly, "It is sheer barbarism."

But the attack has not cowed the spirit of the Madrilenos, who say they still feel safe in their city.

"It could have been me, it could have been him, but it's something you can't really prevent and it could happen anywhere," said quality technician Juan Luis Picotoso, 30.

His friend Pablo Permuja, 24, places a placard at one of the make-shift shrines outside the station with the slogan: "With the victims, with the Constitution and against terrorism" - the same message that is expected to be reinforced by thousands of people at a demonstration on Friday night.

"It makes you feel impotent, sad, angry and wanting revenge," said the student. "But it doesn't make me feel less safe. The police do a good job."

In the hours of stunned disbelief that followed the blasts, evening television programmes ran phone-ins with distressed witnesses, victims and others affected by the tragedy.

Night-time radio stations tried to offer some comfort in their playlists.

The choice of Bob Dylan's Knocking on Heaven's Door, Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven followed by U2's Sunday Bloody Sunday may seem a crass choice to outsiders, but the emotional DJs simply tried to offer comfort and vent the emotions others struggled to put into words.

Nightmare vision

Friday morning's papers relived the nightmare of the previous day, personal accounts and descriptions reinforced by graphic images of the carnage.

"In 10 metres around me there was not one complete human body, only remains," said one medical worker investigating the scene of one explosion at Atocha.


There were howls of anguish from the Spanish papers
"Yesterday's date will remain a black day in the memory of Spaniards and Europeans," said El Pais newspaper.

"This country has just experienced a form of terrorism of which the dimension and cruelty has not been seen here before."

Speculation about who is behind the attack, be it the Basque separatist group Eta or al-Qaeda, continues.

The paper suggests that if it is the latter, provoked by Spain's support for the war in Iraq, "that cannot help but sow a deep discomfort".

El Razon, with the simple headline "11-M", says that "in the midst of the pain and anger, while the soul suffers feelings of vengeance, we can only shout that they will not defeat us, they will not achieve anything, ever, against freedom".

El Mundo repeats the words of Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar - that "this 11 March will be known as the Day of Infamy" and will remain as 11-M in the memory of all Spaniards.

"M for Madrid, M for Muerte [death] and M for martyrdom which cries out for justice for the spilt blood."

ABC says nothing will be the same again.

"The worst has happened," it says.

Few smiles

"Madrid, like New York, Jerusalem, Baghdad and Karbala, has suffered its own terrorist holocaust and from now on nothing will be as it was before."

As the television stations report updates of victims in the hospitals, where there are still a number of critical patients, and re-run images of the day, the city is getting back to work.

There are few smiles on the streets and heads go up at the sound of a siren.

Shops and trains are due to stop work at midday for 15 minutes as a mark of respect.

Then thousands are expected to take to the streets around Spain in a demonstration for peace at 1900.
 
danisanchez_85 said:
I'm sure responsables are ETA, not Al qaeda.

Yeah, like I said sometimes Al Qaeda takes responsibility for terror acts they didn't commit. It's their twisted brand of "politics". People around here are flocking to churches, synagogues and mosques to pray for the people of Madrid. I'm going to mine a bit later on.
 
My deepest sympathies and heartfelt prayers, to the people of Spain.
 
verte76 said:
I thought about it being a result of Spain being part of the "coalition of the willing". This scares the :censored: out of me. Who's next, Poland? I have famiily in Italy. God forbid..........:mad: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored:

I heard that too and I sincerely hope, that no one is next. I pray verte76, that your family is safe. That all of us are safe and this scares the s*** out of me too! I can't help it but, for me this is 9/11. All over again. When will this f****** terriorism end? And to bomb trains, innocent people just going about, with their lives? The monsters whom did this to them, are nothing but f****** cowards!
 
:tsk:...christ, that's horrible. :( :sad:. When in the world will this craziness stop?

To all those living in that area of the world...stay safe, and may nothing else happen to anybody there or in any other countries. :hug:.

As for those who lost loved ones...my condolances to them. May those who died rest in peace.
 
[Q]In Spain: ETA and Al-Qaeda Forge New Anti-EU Alliance
NCM Online, By Paolo Pontoniere, October 1, 2001

The Basque terrorist organization ETA and bin Laden's al-Qaeda cells have joined forces. Their shared goal: to organize and carry out an attack on the EU meeting scheduled for March 2002 in Barcelona, according to two Spanish publications, Tiempo and El Mundo.

According to the reports, which have been confirmed by Italian and French media, representatives of the two terrorist organizations have already met together three times in Brussels in December 2000; in Malaga, Spain in February 2001; and in Barcelona last July.

According to the European reports, the terrorists have planned a suicide attack on the meeting that would entail the use of five car bombs provided by ETA, and delivered by five al-Qaeda suicide drivers. European authorities consider this news credible, and have disclosed that Mohammed Atta--one of the terrorists responsible for the early September attack on the World Trade Center--may have also attended the July meeting between ETA and al-Qaeda in Barcelona.

In its report, Tiempo revealed that, thanks to a tip-off by US Navy intelligence, Spanish authorities were able to prevent another al-Qaeda attack last December. This one would have involved striking American aircraft carriers with suicide vessels filled with the deadly explosive C-4. The attack--like the assault on the USS Cole in a Yemeni port--was scheduled to take place as the two aircraft carriers would have readied to moor at NATO's Rota navy base near Cadiz. The suicide motor boats would have departed from the nearby coast of Morocco, a country with a significant Muslim population.

Spain, because of its proximity to Morocco and Algeria, has experienced a significant influx of Muslim immigrants. According to authorities, there are now about 500,000 Muslim immigrants living in Spain. Experts estimate that, among these emigres, are about 100 al-Qaeda agents ready at any moment to hit a Spanish or American target.

Since 1996, the Spanish police have formed a special unit dedicated to investigating the activities of these terrorists. In addition, Spanish prime minister Jos?-Maria Azanar has pledged troops to any American-led coalition to fight international terrorism. Azanar has also allowed the US to use NATO navy bases in Rota and Moron to carry out air strikes against terrorist targets.

Although enjoying broad-based support at home for his commitment to the US, Azanar may find that his position could cause troubles for Spain abroad. In fact, neighboring Morocco, separated from Spain by the narrow strait of Gibraltar, is home to 4.5 million Islamic fundamentalists, who may become angered at Spain's generous support of America.

Such a development could push young Moroccan king Mohammed VI into the fray, forcing him to face Islamic fundamentalist terrorism, as in neighboring Algeria. There, the government has been embroiled in a bloody and protracted war with indigenous Islamic terrorists for years.
[/Q]

From 2001
 
So... maybe the next would be England perhaps... beacuse they suported USA on their war...

Or the US again...



Why don't they bomb their own f*cking asses? :mad:
 
Someone, I forget who, did a poll in the U.S. on how many people are very afraid of another terrorist attack. Sixty-five percent said they are very afraid the terrorists will strike us again soon. Eight million Spaniards demonstrated against terror today--one-fifth of the country. I wish the :censored: terrorists would bomb their own asses too. :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored:
 
I really admire the response from the spanish people, you can see when people feel free to say what they want to, and the solidarity of a entire country...
 
U2zoogirl said:
I really admire the response from the spanish people, you can see when people feel free to say what they want to, and the solidarity of a entire country...

So do I and I am with them, mind, body and soul! Peace and love, to the people of Spain. A shinning example, to the rest of us!
 
This is just mindnumbing.

The fact that 8 million people took to the streets of Spain to protest today and resumed their train services is a testiment to the worlds resolve to end this kinda crap now.

Does anyone know who in Australia is running an appeal? I would like to donate but I havent been able to locate an appeal just yet. I would like to do something. After the Bali bombings my brother in laws tattoo parlour did free tattoos to the remaining members of the Kingsley (a suburb very close to mine) Football club, and some of the fathers of the deceased. I felt so proud of him for doing that. I wish I could do something for Spain.
 
We may only hope that from the sorrow of tradgedy we can finally gain the united resolve to face the problems that give these mass murderers 'justification' for their crimes.
 
U2zoogirl said:
I really admire the response from the spanish people, you can see when people feel free to say what they want to, and the solidarity of a entire country...

So do I. It was really inspiring to see all of those people in the streets carrying signs and just saying "no" to terrorism. Bravo Spain!
 
Re: NOW can you understand us???

AchtungBono said:
The only way to deal with terrorism is to root it out, go after them ruthlessly and deal with them on their own level - whether its by military means (like we do all the time) or by hi-tech methods (like the Americans are doing).

We?re doing it for god knows how long. It may have reduced the number of the attacks at times, but it never really stopped them. The sad truth is that if the terrorists really want to carry out an attack, eventually they?ll manage to do so.

Some say that in order to stop them; we must go down to the root of the problem, to understand why are they doing it. But how can one understand an intentional killing of innocence people? Nothing justifies it. Terrorists killed people that I knew, dear dear people, but I?m not going around trying to blow up Palestinians.

Maybe with the Palestinians and us a peace agreement will solve things out (although now it seems light years away). But regarding al-queada, it?s hard to see any solution. As long as they?ll keep holding to their ideology, what can stop them from carrying out attacks?
 
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