| Terror Strikes: Madrid | |
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Mookie - ex-Student  |
MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- Spain has begun three days of mourning for nearly 200 victims of a coordinated attack on Madrid's commuter trains a day earlier. Authorities are still investigating who carried out the near simultaneous bombings at the height of morning rush-hour Thursday. The Interior Ministry Friday raised the death toll to 198, with about 1,400 wounded in the attacks. Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar said 14 of the victims were from 11 other countries. He refused to speculate as to who carried out the attacks. "We are talking about a horrendous terrorist attack. ... Don't ask me to play Lotto," Aznar told reporters on Friday. "I cannot evaluate probabilities. We only work with things that are proven." Funerals will begin later in the day, and Aznar has called for Spaniards across the country to march to protest violence. Relatives gathered at a makeshift morgue in a Madrid exhibition hall to identify the remains of their loved ones. CNN Correspondent Alessio Vinci, who is at the center, said more than 180 bodies had been brought to the site, and more than 50 had been identified. Red Cross officials said DNA and dental records would have to be used to identify some of the remains. The process of identification is expected to speed up Friday when a team of forensic experts from Israel arrives in Madrid to assist Spanish officials. While a group claiming to represent al Qaeda said it was behind the attack, intelligence sources have consistently told CNN that the group does not speak for al Qaeda, and is unreliable. Spanish officials are blaming ETA, a Basque separatist group which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. Spanish Interior Minister Angel Acebes said while ETA remains the prime suspect, authorities cannot rule out the possibility the bombings "might be linked with the Arab world." The Madrid explosions occurred Thursday shortly before 8 a.m. (2 a.m. EST), when four separate trains at three different stations were rocked by blasts along the southern part of Madrid's rail network. Acebes said there were a total of 10 explosions at the Santa Eugenia, El Pozo and Atocha stations -- three other bombs were found and detonated by police. Authorities are also investigating a van found with seven detonators and an Arabic tape of Koranic teachings in a Madrid suburb, Acebes said. The tape contained no threats and is available commercially. The van was stolen last month, and authorities were led to it by a tip from the public, according to the interior minister. The bombings came two and a half years to the day after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States. Countries across the world expressed their outrage. Al Qaeda had previously threatened any country that allied itself with the United States in the war against Iraq. Spain has been a key U.S. ally. An Arabic-language newspaper in London said it received an e-mail claim of responsibility in the name of al Qaeda from the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigade. While it has claimed previous attacks blamed on al Qaeda, the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigade has also claimed responsibility for the U.S. power blackout last summer, a claim dismissed by terror experts. The Madrid attack came ahead of Sunday's general election in which Spain's conservative ruling Popular Party -- which has taken a hard-line stance against ETA -- is currently leading in the polls. After the blasts, all political parties announced they were suspending campaign rallies ahead of the election. Aznar addressed the nation and condemned ETA, saying they must be crushed and that there will be "no possible negotiation with these killers." "March 11, 2004, now holds its place in the history of infamy," he said. The scale of the attack is unlike anything ETA has ever carried out. ETA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. Before Thursday's attack, the highest death toll in any ETA-linked attack was in 1987 -- when 21 were killed in a Barcelona supermarket blast. Attacks blamed on or claimed by ETA over the last three decades have killed 800 people in Spain. The group has been fighting for an independent homeland in northern Spain. Authorities also say ETA usually warns authorities before an attack, and claims responsibility for its actions. CNN Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman, Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour, Correspondents Alessio Vinci and Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report. It's all over the news here in Europe, and the destruction throughout Madrid is astonishing and disquieting. It brought terrorism this much closer to home again. Any thoughts on this? I know we have a few people here who live in Spain. ~Ken This post was edited by Mookie on Mar 12 2004 11:28am. |
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| Comments |
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Halendor - Ex-Student 
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Freedom of speech. Those conspiracies are in a way related to this topic, and therefore can be discussed. If you don't like the discussion, don't read the thread. Respect is everything  |
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Mookie - Ex-Student 
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A surprising victory indeed. One more note regarding "conspiracies" (as it has become a subtopic): I agree with Halendor, keep your opinions to yourself. Your firm disapproval of such doesn't justify your behaviour, especially the mention of "extra terrestials" or "black helicopters". It's very insulting to be compared to a child telling tales in the dark, and it doesn't put you in any better light by coming from so harsh an angle. Today we will honor those who died at 12 in the noon for three minutes. |
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Jacen Aratan - Student |
Surprising victory to the social party (I think it was those), they're now governing party, instead of the conservatives. Or whatever. I don't know all that political stuff in English. |
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Buzz - Student 
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and as I said, keep it out of this thread. Got it? Make a new thread to blather on about three aliens living under mt. everest controlling every government in the world if you want to talk about this stuff. You made this thread about the tragedy that happened in Madrid Kenyon, keep it that way everyone. _______________ When you are going through Hell, keep going. -Sir Winston Churchill. Those who seek power and control of others, no matter the level, no matter the intentions, should never be given it. This comment was edited by Buzz on Mar 15 2004 03:39am. |
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JavaGuy - Student 
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What exactly is "respectful" about accusing the President of a crime like this without a shred of credible evidence? Sorry, but a conspiracy nut is a conspiracy nut. I feel sorry for such people, and I certainly hope their lives get better, but I'm not going to pretend that people are something they're not just to be politically correct. Real conspiracies can and do exist, but they bear little resemblence to the conspiracies you see in James Bond movies. A surprise party is a conspiracy, as is any bank robbery involving more than one person. But this one is just wacko. The theory is that the Bush administration would risk political suicide by getting caught having Osama secretly in custody in order to get the modest political boon of revealing his capture right before the election (believe me, there'd be enough political gain from revealing his capture now). Of course, the conspiracy theorists would argue that there isn't really any risk of getting caught because the conspirators are too sneaky and too devious by far to get caught...yet by curious double-think the conspiracy theorists themselves think that they have pierced the veil of deception. There's also the matter of the hundreds of people who would necessarily have to be in on such a conspiracy. Somebody would spill. Somebody would be on the phone to the tabloids in a heartbeat offering the whole story for a million dollars...and the tabloids would pay that much, too. Please, I don't want to see the JA forums turn into a haven for the lunatic fringe. The "evil ducks will rule the world" thread was great when it was in Crazy Stuff and intended as a joke. This stuff is just wacko. _______________ My signature is only one line. You're welcome. |
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Halendor - Ex-Student 
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I don't believe in those conspiracy theories, but I think you should respect the people who do. Let's keep it nice  |
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JavaGuy - Student
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Ah, the Carlyle Group conspiracy! Favorite topic of people who think they've been abducted by extraterrestrials and wear tin-foil hats to protect themselves from mind-control rays. I always know I'm in for an entertaining time when the Art Bell listeners come out to play. Watch out for those black helicopters. _______________ My signature is only one line. You're welcome. |
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Mookie - Ex-Student
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If you want, Buzz, I'll engage you in a private one on one regarding that. You'd be amazed at some connections in the American government. Never point fingers and yell bullshit, especially not against someone like me, who seriously studies these things. But you're right, it's not in direct connection to this thread. Feel free to look up things like the Carlyle Group though, and point out to me nothing's connected. |
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Buzz - Student 
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Any other conspiracy theories you would like to list here? Like the government knowing exactly how and when the terrorist attacks on 9/11 would happen? Or that Osama and Saddam are both on the CIA's payroll? What I hate about conspiracy theories is how utterly full of B.S. they are. "If I can think of it happening then it must be true" is the way a lot of them seem to me. And enough of that. Please don't speak like that here again, make another thread if you want to spin lines. I'm sorry for the loss of lives that have occured in Spain. I hope those responsible didn't take the cowardly way out and kill themselves along with all the innocent people so they can be found and brought to justic. _______________ When you are going through Hell, keep going. -Sir Winston Churchill. Those who seek power and control of others, no matter the level, no matter the intentions, should never be given it. |
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Zing98 - Student 
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you know? i wouldn't put it past them. but then, wouldn't they have done the same thing with saddam? _______________ "Stop acting like little girls and learn to suck up to the mods like normal people" Remind me to kill my parents for loss of JA for so long. |
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Mookie - Ex-Student 
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Personally, I think they already have Osama Bin Laden and are releasing news of his capture right before the elections as a powerful promotional tool. |
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Zing98 - Student
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and if its handled in the way its being handled at the moment ( and i mean for example the taliban refusing to give over osama) with middle east countrys habouring terrorists, it'll be impossible to stop. this, although it may not seem like it, is world war three _______________ "Stop acting like little girls and learn to suck up to the mods like normal people" Remind me to kill my parents for loss of JA for so long. |
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Ulic |retired| - Student 
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My thoughts are with everyone who've lost people they were close to. I fear for the future, our century will be the century of terrorism. _______________ Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam |
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Zing98 - Student
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now that 3 morrocans and 2 indians have been arrested for it, al-quaeda is looking more likly, at least thats what it seems the spanish government thinks _______________ "Stop acting like little girls and learn to suck up to the mods like normal people" Remind me to kill my parents for loss of JA for so long. |
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Vasper Ba'xian - Student 
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1. Im sorry for the pain that ppl in Spain have had to go thur. Its a shame that such violence exists at all. 2. There is no sense in trying to determine which "group" claims this or says this. Instead, just worry about the individuals themselves. Al queda, ETA, WHATEVER here are my intitials--->FU Their all one group anyway. A bunch of cowards who hide in the shadows and behind masks protesting this and that, too chicken $HIT to come out and show there face. Because they are a minority in their belief, they feel they have the right to take lives of innocent people; most of which know nothing of their polotics in the first place. I could understand targeting political people. But to murder a mother and her child, or a father at work trying to make money to feed his children. I don't see how they would think that all this would strengthen their cause. Say they did get their little piece of Spain or wut ever the hell it is they want. Who would want to live under a gov. that was willing to murder 100's or 1000's ppl? In the LONG list of things terrorists lack, LOGIC is definitly among them. 3. I wish I could be the one to catch each and every person responsible for these acts so I could personaly rip their hearts out thru their throats, put them on public display and send the most serious warning to terrorists. But what would that do? Nothing their a bunch of *O@@*&*@ idiots, remember?  _______________ Brother to: Tamal, Kavar, J.D.,Jermia, Devlin, Ulic, Xiabara, Seij,Tarron Mib,>>>ROCK ON .My Spacescapes art page.My Everything Else art page. MY FAV. Jedi Are: Qui-Gon Jinn, Corran Horn, and Anakin Solo. Unofficial Master to Tamal. and Kavar. Founder of the Wuji Hundun Jian saber style. Proud owner of Tamal's 200th comment!//Proud owner of Refl3x's 300th comment!>>>Proud owner of Tyrant's 800th comment>>>Proud owner of Lucky's 170th comment>>>Proud owner of BDKawika's 444th comment>>>To except Existance is to except Reality.
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JavaGuy - Student 
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Maybe not al-Queda after all, according to an expert from memri.org: http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/carmon200403121251.asp _______________ My signature is only one line. You're welcome. This comment was edited by JavaGuy on Mar 13 2004 03:46pm. |
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JavaGuy - Student
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The barbarity if this defies belief. Some of the bombs were rigged to go off as rescue crews arrived after the initial bombing. _______________ My signature is only one line. You're welcome. |
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Flash - Student 
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People have been saying something like this would happen in Spain for weeks. |
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JavaGuy - Student
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" But the general alarm number in Spain isn't 911. " Yeah, but everyone in the world knows the significance of "911" (they do now, anyway), and if it was because of Spain's support for the war on terror it would make sense. I'll get back to you on how many days after 9/11 it really was. It's two and a half years, so it's at least close. It's looking more and more like it was al-Queda. _______________ My signature is only one line. You're welcome. |
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JamesF1 - Student 
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Quote:
Quote: I understand what the goal of ETA is, to seperate their piece of land from the rest of Spain. But what does Al Qaida want? Spain were one of the members of the UN who agreed wholeheartedly to go to war... (oh yeah)...and its only days before the Spanish election... _______________ Website |
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Halendor - Ex-Student
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But the general alarm number in Spain isn't 911. I think it's 112 all across Europe (EU) now, not really sure. |
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JamesF1 - Student
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Quote: I understand what the goal of ETA is, to seperate their piece of land from the rest of Spain. But what does Al Qaida want? Spain were one of the members of the UN who agreed wholeheartedly to go to war... _______________ Website |
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Zing98 - Student 
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interesting how its 911 days after september 11th (i was told that by a amte, so i may be wrong) and remember spain supported the wa rin iraq. oh and eta always warn ppl beforehand, sound slike bin laden to me _______________ "Stop acting like little girls and learn to suck up to the mods like normal people" Remind me to kill my parents for loss of JA for so long. |
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Lord Exar Kun - Student 
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Halendor as far as I know al qaeda would only do this because Spain has always supposrted Bush very strongly in his war against terrorism. Why they terrorise people is not really clear to me either though, maybe they just like to kill people . Anyway the people who did this are sick. There were school classes in those trains ffs, how on earth can you even believe you're doing the right thing by killing over 200 people in such a cruel way? Religion wont justify what they did. If there is a god, allah for them, then I'm sure he doesnt approve this kind of thing. They're just a bunch of assholed who have no idea whats wrong and whats right anymore. Feh at them... My thoughts are with the victims of this terrible act of terrorism and with their friends and family. _______________ -Retired april the 19th 2004 |
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Lego[DEAD] - Ex-Student
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stupid people, viva la madre patria(spanish) _______________ AHH YOU ARE ALL NICE LADS This comment was edited by Lego[DEAD] on Mar 12 2004 08:21pm. |
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