Of course the bombing happened before an election. The Islamic extremists wanted to influence that election and get Spain out of the Muslim world. Remember that there is history here. Spain has had a very troubled past with regards to religion, it's nothing new. If they wanted this to be a simple political coup however why blame Al-Quaeda? Spain has the Basque, and they make a much better (sometimes undeserved) political whipping boy than something that would disengage Spain from the middle east.

What possible positive effect could Spain leaving the Islamic world alone have for any "New World Order?"