Spanish Intelligence 99% Certain Militant Muslims to Blame

[many a good man]

MADRID, Spain (Reuters) - Spain's intelligence service is "99 percent certain" Muslim not Basque militants perpetrated the Madrid train bombings that killed 200 people, a Spanish radio station reported on Saturday.

The report by private radio SER, whose owners have links to the opposition Socialists, flew in the face of government assertions armed group ETA was the prime suspect in the attacks that have traumatized Spain and sent jitters round the world.

It fueled grumbling from critics that Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's government might be focusing on the Basque group, rather than al Qaeda, for internal political gain ahead of Sunday's election. Ministers angrily denied the charge.

Spanish Intelligence Reportedly Blames Muslims for Bombs

[otohara]

1. Blowback

Aznar should have payed attention to Spain's protesting focus group on 2/15/02 vs our lying unelected fraud.

[Nlighten1]

2. What group of "militant muslims" is it and where do they get their funding

The world sure has become much safer since Bush started his "war on terra". I thought all the financing has been cut off and Al Queda was destroyed.

[bemildred]

3. Certainly the simplest explanation is that it is what

it appears to be, a terrorist attack by a group affiliated
with al Qaeda.

[The Stranger]

6. Actually, the simplest explanation is that it is ETA.

Days before an election and the exact same type of attack that had been broken up twice by Spanish Authorities in the past two months. No suicide bombers but backpacks filled with the same type of TNT used by ETA in the past.

The right wing wants it to be Al Queda because their candidate is running his campaign based on fear and the attacks of September 11.

[bemildred]

8. Why were there published claims within hours in Arabic

taking responsibility for the attacks? Why would ETA do that?
What does ETA gain by carrying out such an attack and deflecting
the blame on al Qaeda? Why would al Qaeda go along with that?

What you have provided is evidence that ETA would do such a thing.
It is not evidence that they did this particular thing. Here
the evidence so far, such as it is, points elsewhere.

[54anickel]

10. "Days before an election" would be just as much motive for Al Qaeda

right now in any country that joined in the Bushco fiasco in Iraq. Who else has elections around the world this year that joined the coalition?

[mobuto]

11. No, the right wing wants it to be ETA

because

1. The crackdown on ETA has been the biggest political issue for the PP. An attack by ETA legitimizes the measures already in place, affirming the government's contention that ETA poses a bigger threat than the socialists say it does.

2. An Al Qaeda attack would force a reevalution of Spain's foreign policy.

3. Moroccan interests have traditionally been associated in Spain with the far-right, ever since Franco used Moroccan troops to conquer the Republic. An Al Qaeda bombing would trigger anti-Moroccan sentiment, which would in turn lead to an anti-PP movement.

[bemildred]

13. Very good, Sir. nt

[Jacobin]

4. Does this mean Chimpy's playmate is gonna lose the election?

[many a good man]

5. Spanish government told Ambassadors to Spread ETA rumor

MADRID (Reuters) - The Spanish government told its ambassadors to spread the word that armed Basque separatist group ETA was to blame for the Madrid bombings within hours of the attacks, a leading newspaper reported on Saturday.

The report came amid increased grumbling from government critics that Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's ruling party might be pointing the finger at ETA -- and minimizing suspicions Muslim militants were involved -- for political reasons.

"You should use any opportunity to confirm ETA's responsibility for these brutal attacks, thus helping to dissipate any type of doubt that certain interested parties may want to promote," El Pais quoted Foreign Minister Ana Palacio as writing in a memo.


http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4561053">Report: Spain Told Envoys to Point Finger at ETA

[otohara]

9. Last Night on PBS News

spokesperson was trying desperately to move away from Al Quada link.

[0007]

7. Maria Aznar is such a dickhead, the people in Spain

have been against his policies and relationship with junior.

Aznar's time is extremely limited as far as ruling.

[mobuto]

12. Well, that's for certain

Aznar is retiring, so his time is limited regardless of who wins tomorrow's elections.