Terrorist Attacks in Madrid/To those who think...

[Jesugandalf]

Well, then latest data I've heard this morning on TV is 192 killed, almost 40 people critical in hospitals of Madrid, and more than a hundred with severe injuries. There were a total of 1.463 injured people that had to receive medical treatment.

 

About who did the slaughter, it's sure that nobody has claimed it yet. The Spanish Government says they still think it was the ETA, whatever vans founded with cassettes in arabic language or suspicious letters addressed to arabic journals based in London. We can have a bad government in many matters, but it is also true that they have never hid when facing terrorist attacks from the ETA, and they haven't yesterday as well (and I say this, I, that don't agree with them and their way of thinking and acting). The point is: ETA is not at its best nowadays. They are in difficulties. They have received serious blows when many of their members were discovered and arrested by the Spanish police in the last months. At least four times they were discovered when planning to do a slaughter in Madrid over the past year. During a latter statement from the terrorist group, it was said they claimed they prepared something big in Madrid. Government knew this, as well as the police, who were everyday working to avoid this. But yesterday it wasn't possible. Moreover, they are leaded by new people, young people, more radical of thought, and, experts say, capable of doing something like this when in desperation.

 

About the Al-Qaeda implications... well, they have to be considered, of course. But the point is, from my point of view, that if inside ETA themselves not everybody agreed with this (something I'm sure about, because of what everyone of you also know, that ETA almost always only attacks the structure of power, not the population itself). Seeing the response of the Spanish population everywhere, in the Basque Country, in Catalonia, in both Castilias,... everywhere, their leaders may want to try to avoid responsibilities saying Al-Qaeda did it instead. I'm sure if it's confirmed that ETA did it, it will be another severe blow to their way of existence, I'm sure many people who agreed with them until yesterday will think twice about that in the future. Also, from my point of view, the analysis of the explosive is quite revealing: titanite, nitroglyceryn and dynamite. That mixing has been already used by them, and it's not commonly found or made (as I've heard).

 

But, apart from all this, as Malchik says, it doesn't matter who did it. The important thing here is that 200 people (and probably more, given the condition of many injured) have died, and 1.463 people have had to receive medical treatment. And what about the rest of the people, those who weren't injured but were near the blasts and went to help? Those who will have to undergo psychological treatment? What I say today, when I have slept a bit and I have had time to think, when I know nobody of my friends and relatives in Madrid was injured, thanks God, is that I don't give a damn who did it. I just am terribly sad because of what happened. And because of that, I will try to continue my life as it was the 10th of march, because doing otherwise they would win, but I won't let them. There will be massive concentrations of people today at 7.00pm in every Spanish town, city or village. I'll go and, if you want, you can do something symbolic today in your homes, your cities or wherever you want.

 

Every Spaniard will appreciate something like this.

[Ancalagon]

Wow, I just heard about this today in my Journalism 50: Mass Media and Critical Thinking class. I was pretty worried about you, Jesugandalf, I couldn't remember if you lived in that area or not...but it's great to see you're all right.

 

About the ETA, my professor who is the head of the Foreign Policy division of the Government section at my College thought so at first (that it was ETA since they have a history, I believe, of bombing railroads and such). However, new reports state that a van was found with dynamite, detonators, Islamic symbols written on it and a Koran(sp). So there may be Islamic extremists responsible for this attack, however I feel that the items on the van that point to Islamic Extremists (i.e Al Qaeda[sp]) seem a little too obvious and almost bear the scent of being planted.

 

I mean, I am certain that not all Islamic Extremist vans have Islamic symbols and a Koran inside of them...it seems too convenient for us to find this...

 

In any case, what happened was terrible and I am sorry to hear of this. On an even sadder note, I have a feeling that Bush may try to use this to his Political advantage for Re-Election by stating that if he remains in office, this sort of thing won't happen (on the other hand, it also shows how well the 'War on Terrorrism' is going <_< ). Hopefully you guys find who is responsible for this, and make them pay dearly...

[Jesugandalf]

Well, the thing is that I was pretty certain it was the ETA who did it the day it happened... but as hours have passed I begin to feel a bit dubious...

 

And that's why tomorrow there is a general election here in Spain. Imagine what would happen to the party of our current president if it happens that we get to know that they were the islamists who did it: we would think it was because our government supported USA in the (in my opinion) pointless war in Iraq. So what? Well, I'm sure a lot of people that tomorrow are going to vote them wouldn't.

 

So, they may be trying to say it was the ETA instead of the islamic integrists, trying to get time to win the elections tomorrow (something I'm sure they'll achieve, unfortunately). If they win, you'll have a friend of Bush as Spanish president for another four years... <_<

[Pack Rat]

Great, that's just what we need :angry: