Officials Still Divided on Whom to Blame for Madrid Bombings

[windansea]

Spanish officials investigating the Madrid terror attacks provided little new information yesterday about who might have carried out the bombings, and gave conflicting interpretations of the evidence that emerged.

The Spanish interior minister, Ángel Acebes, said the Basque separatist group ETA remained the government's prime suspect in the bombings, in which at least 199 people have died.



Some Spanish antiterrorism officials said, however, that they questioned the government's seeming insistence on implicating the Basque group despite information that suggested the possible involvement of Islamic militants.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/13/international/europe/13TERR.html?ei=5062&en=8038eb31b836e873&ex=1079758800&partner=GOOGLE&pagewanted=print&position=

One theory I have heard is that the ETA may have tried to frame Al Queda for the bombings by leaving obvious arabic clues found in the van.

see this article on how blame game would affect Spanish elections.

Madrid bombings expected to influence Sunday's general elections in Spain



Madrid bombings expected to influence Sunday's general elections in Spain
12:43 PM EST Mar 13
MADRID, Spain (AP) - Depending on who voters believe is responsible for the Madrid bombings, Sunday's general election in Spain could turn into a referendum on Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's support for the Iraq war.

Spaniards reacted furiously last year when Aznar aligned himself with President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to support the U.S.-led invasion. Aznar did not send combat troops but did dispatch 1,300 peacekeepers.

The Spanish government initially blamed the Basque separatist group ETA for Thursday's devastating train blasts in Madrid that killed 199 people and wounded more than 1,400. But now it is analysing a reported claim of responsibility on behalf of al-Qaida.

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/040312/w031262.html

[kalian]

1. Its a political struggle....

the right is hoping that it helps Aznar's government and successor.
There's a rumor that the bombing is having the complete OPPOSITE
effect.

We'll see how this pans out.

[windansea]

11. looks like its Al Queda

whoever they are...they are kooks!

[boobooday]

2. Very interesting timing

It will be interesting to see how this falls out.

I think that Aznar and his successor want very badly for it to be ETA, but it probably wasn't.

More mayhem related to Bush's "cowboy" foreign policy?

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[Minstrel Boy]

3. Who do you think is responsible, windansea?

Could it be, Chavez? :evilgrin:

[windansea]

5. MinstrelBoy makes a funny!!

:bounce:

[windansea]

4. is the ETA trying to frame Al Queda?

leaving behind clues like arabic tapes and an arabic language programmed cell phone...too obvious or real clues??

[bemildred]

6. It is possible that the perps were islamic,

and they wanted the act attributed to them,
as the published claims of responsibility also indicate,
and that therefore they left identifying clues intentionally
or because it did not matter to them. Occam's razor suggests
this is the better theory until evidence indicates otherwise,
and AFAIK there is no evidence other than circumstantial to
link ETA to this at present.

[windansea]

7. yes that is possible too n/t

[blinky]

8. Could it be Dick?

Does anybody know where Dick Cheney was at the time of the bombing? I want cold hard proof as to where he was when all this occurred.

[blinky]

9. NEWSFLASH!!!

Spanish authorities just arrested some Moraccans for the attack. Does anybody know if Dick Cheney or George Bush hold Moraccan passports or are part Moraccan?

[windansea]

10. kick n/t