TA-ATTACKS: Terrorist Rail Bombings in Madrid, Al Qaeda Claims Responsibility, Threatens US Attacks

Unfortunatly, sometimes I wish I didn't live near Washington DC. lol

Originally posted by SwampFox
Unfortunatly, sometimes I wish I didn't live near Washington DC. lol

I seccond that for more than just this reason.

Seems the winds travel mostly in a north/ north west fashon most of the time so thet makes me feel a bit better living just south.

BBC: Western Governments are holding their breaths waiting to see if its Al-Qaeda or Eta.

Fears are that if its Al-Qaeda then Britain may be next.

Originally posted by Nerdling

A very good point, what about Chicago " The Windy City" whilst we're at it

Optimum conditions for biological and chemical weapons are temperate air, windspeeds of 8mph, dry low pressure fronts and cloudy/overcast conditions.

Ahh crap, guess its time to buy some more duct tape. Hopefully it might take out some of these damn corn fields cause there are way to many in this state. Ok now I have to go and tape up the windows.

You know the redneck in me feels like screaming "Bring it on butt heads, leave our friends alone and come get me if you are so brave". Of course then I would insist we turn the area they are in into a big black smear.

I hate to think of nations that support us get bombed because of that friendship. I mean I don't want us bombed either but if they are mad at us, come on let's play this one to the end. Sorry, feeling a whole lot of compassion for all our friends in Europe (even the french).

I think this is truly abominable and would like to pass on my condolences to relatives/friends etc. of those hurt/killed/affected by this tragedy.
May those responsible be swiftly punished in the most extreme way imaginable

FLC

News sites are reporting that arrangements for a massive rally in Madrid for tomorrow are being made, it is believed an estimated crowd of more than a million may march alongside the prime minster and king in a supreme show of national solidarity.

October audtio tape attributed to bin Laden threatened attacks on Britain, Spain, Australia, Poland, Japan and Italy.
Main story updated.

Courtesy: Guardian
No group made an immediate claim of responsibility for today's terrorist outrage in Madrid, but politicians and journalists blamed the Basque separatist group Eta for the train bombings, which left 173 people dead.

The group - whose full name, Euskadi Ta Askatasuma, means Basque Homeland and Freedom - has been carrying out bombings and assassinations in Spain for more than 35 years. The timing of the attack, 72 hours before Sunday's general election, would fit with the group's aim of disrupting the political process in Madrid as part of its campaign for an independent Basque country straddling the Pyrenees and the French- Spanish border.

But Arnaldo Otegi, the leader of Eta's outlawed political wing, Batasuna, said he did not think the group was responsible, suggesting that "sectors of Arab resistance" may have been behind the attacks. In reality, the way in which today's rush-hour bombings were carried out bears few similarities with Eta's previous modus operandi.

The scale of the attacks is unprecedented in Spain and has led to speculation that al-Qaida may be responsible, perhaps because of Spain's support for the US-led attack on Iraq last year. The blasts come a week after al-Qaida was blamed by the US for coordinated bombings in Iraq that caused carnage and huge loss of life.

By contrast Eta has struggled to mount major attacks, resorting instead to car bombings and assassinations targeting politicians, members of the security forces and journalists. The last time it targeted a railway was in 1979, when bombs at two Madrid stations left six people dead.

Eta's deadliest outrage - a supermarket bombing in Barcelona in 1987, killed 21 people and drew an apology from the group, which has generally given warnings of imminent attacks in an attempt to minimise civilian casualties.

No warning was received today.

Today's attacks involved a series of 13 devices designed to explode almost simultaneously in a variety of locations around the capital. That again would represent a departure for Eta, which has historically operated in small, highly independent cells.

Under relentless pursuit from the Spanish security forces, the group has increasingly struggled to coordinate attacks, being restricted to a series of minor bombings in northern Spanish tourist towns last year. Meanwhile, the group has also become increasingly isolated, with Batasuna being outlawed in 2002.

In that sense, a possible parallel could be drawn with the republican movement in Northern Ireland, where radical elements within the IRA lashed out with uncharacteristically indiscriminate attacks - such as the 1998 Omagh bombing, which killed 29 people - when the movement was backed politically and militarily into a corner.

But such a scenario would make a mockery of claims by the Spanish prime minister, Jos� Mar�a Aznar, that the country's security forces have severely circumscribed Eta's ability to mount attacks in recent years by dismantling a series of cells and arresting key figures in the organisation. Security had also been stepped up across the country in preparation for Sunday's general election.

Perhaps for such reasons, Spain's interior minister, Angel Acebes, appears to have stepped back from the government's initial line. Asked at a press conference whether he believed Eta or an Islamic militant group such as al-Qaida was behind the bombings, he replied that Eta was still the prime suspect, but added: "We do not rule anything out."

Just worked this out, freaky.
These bombs went off exactly 911 days after 9/11/01.

Originally posted by Nerdling
BBC: Western Governments are holding their breaths waiting to see if its Al-Qaeda or Eta.

Fears are that if its Al-Qaeda then Britain may be next.

Purported Al-Qaida letter claims Madrid bombing that killed 190

www.haaretzdaily.com...
The London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Quds al-Arabi said Thursday it had received a claim of responsibility issued by The Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri in the name of Al-Qaida for the Madrid terrorist attacks that killed at least 190 people and wounded 1,247. ....snip

We know, but just because they say it was them does not make it so.

Originally posted by Britman
Just worked this out, freaky.
These bombs went off exactly 911 days after 9/11/01.

Actually it was 912 days.

Link

Those pesky leap years.

[Edited on 11-3-2004 by Banshee]

Originally posted by Nerdling
We know, but just because they say it was them does not make it so.

Pardon me. I didnt see a link posted to this article in this thread.

my guess is its al-qaeda
the sepratists usually phone in and say they are going to do something like this
has anyone heard if there was a warning?

Originally posted by watcheroftheskies
my guess is its al-qaeda
the sepratists usually phone in and say they are going to do something like this
has anyone heard if there was a warning?

There was no immediate warning.
There was apparently a threat back in October, but no specific warning before these bombings.

-B.

Originally posted by GanjaGoddess

Originally posted by Nerdling
We know, but just because they say it was them does not make it so.

Pardon me. I didnt see a link posted to this article in this thread.

I gave credit to the guardian

Besides, Editors prerogative.

GanjaGoddess, Good spot
I never took that into account.

Now I'm thinking that it'll be Germany tomorrow 12th, London Saturday 13th, France Sunday 14th and then New York 15th.
Nevermind just a wondering mind and no real theory behind this.

[Edited on 11-3-2004 by Britman]

Have not heard of a warning.

Also, I thought it was tremendously fishy how everyone just jumped on the ETA bandwagon when they didnt follow their normal protocol and make a call of warning.. yet we have a letter saying that Al Queda is taking credit.

I'd think that the last thing the powers that be would want to do is acknowledge that Al Queda had yet again been able to carry something of this magnitude off. Some success in the war on Terror, eh?

well banshee i would put it in the high probability of it being al qaeda ......90% likely
thank you for your quick response

i have had some ill feelings as of lately in regards to something happening and im wondering when america is next.