Madrid, 11 March

I think this deserves some comments and a thread.

 

I've just deleted a long reply.

Blame, analysing, etc can follow.

For now simply, I, like i'm sure we all do, have my thoughts with those who have been effected.

RIP

 

Shocked and very upset . My thoughts with the families of the dead.

If it turns out to be Al-Queda and not ETA then things have just got a lot worse.

Michael.

 

Just said on the news that al-queda have contacted a UK paper to claim responsibility. Not sure how much truth is in it though.

 

Despite the change in M.O. most circumstantial evidence does point to ETA. However, there are some Al-Queda hallmarks such as: no warning and coordinated simultaneous attacks for maximum casualties.

The nightmare scenario would be ETA and Al-Queda collaborating. Unfortunately I suspect that disparate terror groups with totally different (even sometimes conflicting) agendas collaborating may well be on the way things will increasingly go.

Michael.

 

It is horrible, yes.

I find it was done in too grand a scale to be the ETA. Also the coincidence of dates. People are talking about a coalition between the two groups. Althout it is possible, it diesn't seem very likely.

On the oder way, London would have been a much likely target if it were Al Kaeda's doing.

Either way, it is appalling.

But if it is Al Kaeda, then Europe is under siege. Just wait for the Football Championship.

 

One of the victims in a train has been identified as a kamikaze Al Kaeda man.

So the worst possibility seems to be gaining ground. And even a coalition between ETA and Al Kaeda seems to be probable.

 

I attended a pre-booked concert last night which by sheer ironic coincidence had an all Spanish theme running throughout it! The programme included works by composers Lalo and De Falla, even the conductor had Hispanic connections. The conductor turned around just before the start of the concert to apologise about the bad coincidental timing of the music programming but also at the same time dedicated the concert and music to all the victims and people affected by the tragedy in Spain.

http://www.bsolive.com/htm/system/popuparticle.asp?module=concerts&id=61674&extra=undefined

 

As the events unfolded yesterday, both my g/f and I could not fathom why ETA would go to such lengths. A terrorist attack on that scale would surely mean the end of them, no ?. My g/f later spotted some American officials stating there opinion/interest and this itself sent alarm bells ringing; why would the US be interested in a Spanish Terrorist group that has existed for years ?

The current theory would appear to be that the materials may have been provided by ETA (or a spliner faction) but carried out my Al Queda. Very scary .

I just hope the IRA aren't that stupid.

 

sounds like my ostritch strategy for dealing with the news is working out. i have no idea what is going on and to be honest i don;t really want to. my heart goes out to those suffering though, and i don;t think there is ever justification for terrorist acts.
cheers


julian

 

A very sad day.

Makes me fear for the future culture we might have.

 

I just feel numb. Just so unbelievable.

Can't believe it's ETA. I can't remember them hitting civilian targets before and without warning. This can only alienate themselves from their supporters if it is ETA. How can anyone do this?

 

It's modern life. I'm with Julian here - I don't watch the news. There's not a lot any of us can do to stop this kind of thing happening, so a head in the sand approach is the only way to keep me sane.

It's disgusting that people can be so evil to each other, but it's in our nature unfortunately.

 

*Wm in real world mode here* I don't believe it was ETA (spanish IRA), the scale and planning was way out of they're league, besides, this would have done more to alienate the rest of the spanish population to they're cause, than anything they've done before.
Infultration and inception is the key to attempting to dismantle terrorism, it will never ever be eradicated, also there's always some group/indivdual ready to use a *cause* or religon to justify their own self rightious agendas and assend themselves in to martyerdom.
It's just sickening to see inoccent human beings using a *Tool* to justify some *insert RG style comment here*
A sad day indeed, our thoughts go out to the families involved in this monstrosity.
The backlash that follows will needless call for action, and the whole process starts it's vicious circle again.
Time for bush to lauched and long term more intricate plan to be put into action to combat terrorism from base level. Wm

 

A little snip on BBc saying a group ascoiated with Al Quieda have admited responsibility.

 

In the Media, many seem to be surprised that Madrid was the target instead of somewhere like London or Paris.

[A case of Al Queda networks flexing their collective muscles ?]

I was actually quite digusted when one of the reporters mentioned that it was a strange place to have a terrorist attack (this was as the Al Queda links were being raised). A strange place ?
198 people dead and this journo was implying that Madrid wasn't fit or appropriate enough for such an attack .

3 years ago, would the likes of SKY News (F.U.K.U.S. as my g/f refers to them - For UK and US) have sent their main correspondents to Madrid to cover this story ? I personally think not. Post 9/11 the amount of propaganda, Pro-Yank reporting has gone through the roof.

When I move back to the UK in May I'm seriously considering dumping SKY as I'm fed up with it's FUKUS, blinkered perspective. They only seem to be interested if it affects them in some way.

Dom, Julian - you've got it right.

 

Well, apart from the US and Spain, the other two countries that attended the Azore's "summit" to initiate the war on Iraq were the UK and Portugal. Great

If Al-Queda wanted to hit Portugal it would be only too easy unfortunately. Every time I fly out of Lisbon airport I think how easy it would be for someone to fire a shoulder launched missle at my (British Airways) plane. Less than 100 yards from the runway is a run down area, almost a slum where anyone dodgy could hide without raising much suspicion. Also, the airport perimiter fence is a very flimsy affair that wouldn't trouble anyone with even a pair of pliers.

Michael.

 

Trouble is, Tone, terrorist acts always have their origin in some past injustice, real, exaggerated or imagined. I come from Belfast remember, and although I would never condone IRA violence - to me, one innocent victim for a cause, no matter how good or worthy, is one too many - the roots of extreme Irish Republicanism lie with British failings going 'way back, and the consistent British "ignore it and maybe it'll go away" method of dealing with it.

The only solution to this sort of thing is ultimately a political one, and that's the hard one to face, because it's complicated and messy, as the real world is complicated and messy. What we don't need now is a simplistic Bush "bomb 'em back to the Stone Age" solution. That may make the perpetrator feel better for a while, but the reality comes back - and the longer pollies refuse to face reality, the longer the problems will haunt us.

 

I, personally, would not feel safe at all on British Airways at the moment. It's like a red rag to a bull IMO given the current climate.

Couldn't you use an alternative airline????

 

The only alternative is TAP (Air Portugal) but they are notoriously unreliable. More than half the TAP flights I've taken or had to meet someone off have been more than an hour late!

BA's service has been excellent and in 4 years of doing the same flights (Lisbon -> London and back) every month I've only had 2 significant delays, one of which was weather related. I've also got BA miles now and since I fly there and back every month it does add up.

I don't think it's worth changing an airline because of terrorist threats. First, you're letting the terrorists win. Second, airline attacks (hijackings, bombings etc) are extremely rare when you think of how many flights a day there are and in the end, if it's my turn to go, then so be it.

Michael.