Spanish demand more details on lead-up to 3/11 terror attacks

[struggle4progress]

Newly published exchanges with an informer reveal that police had extensive intelligence on terror cell's activities.

By Lisa Abend

MADRID They had the names. They knew when and where the men met and how they raised money. They even had the cell -phone numbers of the group's leaders. But with all that information, police were still unable to prevent the bombings that killed 191 people in Madrid on March 11, 2004.

Spaniards have known for months that, long before the bombings occurred, police and intelligence forces here were monitoring the individuals who would carry out the attacks. But last week, El Mundo newspaper published 12 notes written by Abdelkader el-Farssaoui, imam of a mosque outside Madrid and informer to the intelligence unit of the national police, that describe with chilling specificity the members and activities of the suspected cell. Since the report, the debate over whether the police could have prevented the bombings has intensified, with the opposition Popular Party voicing demands for more hearings on the attacks. <snip>

The national police will not comment on the report. But Isidoro Zamorano, spokesman for the Spanish Confederation of Police, a union group, said he was confident that street-level officers had not withheld information. "My colleagues fulfilled their responsibilities," said Mr. Zamorano. "What happened when that information was passed up , I don't know. That's for a judge to decide."

Some suggest that the new evidence proves the police could have stopped the Madrid bombings. In an unsigned editorial, El Mundo stated, "In light of these revelations it is clear that the attacks in Madrid could have been avoided through diligent police action or judicial intervention … neither of which happened." <snip>

http://abcnews.go.com/International/CSM/story?id=822120

[madrchsod]

1. the french also warned the spainish authority

weeks before. the french had solid knowlege that there were going to be attacks on railroads in france and spain. the french clamped down on security and nothing happened to their system.the spainish authority did nothing...

[lovuian]

2. they allowed the bomb because they hoped it would help them

in the election it backfired and the people took to the streets and kicked them out!!!