Is this the unfortunate spark that will push the EU toward its common defense policy and a Constitution? That with the urgency and support of various countries, this will push through the Constitution, much the same way the USA Patriot Act was pushed through after 9/11?
With Spain already talking about removing troops from Iraq instead of pushing forward with immediate retaliation, will Spain, and with it Europe in a collective approach, avoid anti-European reaction in the Muslim world and defuse potential anti-Islamic sentiment in its home country?
BBC - EU calls emergency terror talks
EU calls emergency terror talks
European Union ministers have been called to emergency talks on Friday in response to last week's Madrid attacks.
Germany and France had led calls for a meeting of the EU interior ministers.
One idea - proposed by the European Commission president - is for a special commissioner to be appointed to combat the terror threat.
A routine EU summit next week is set to be dominated by security issues, amid growing signs that the Madrid attacks were the work of Islamic extremists.
European Commission president Romano Prodi said: "We have to discuss thoroughly the entire (security) strategy and we will do it at the summit next week."
"The anti-terrorism commissioner could be a piece of that strategy."
'Schengen stays'
BBC correspondents say the decision to hold the crisis talks reflects the view that the Madrid attacks have security implications well beyond Spanish borders.
European intelligence agencies are said to increasingly believe the attackers were linked to the global Islamist cause rather than Basque separatism.
German Interior Minister Otto Schily said that if it were confirmed that the Madrid bombings had an "Islamic background" then it would mean a new level of threat in Europe.
The Madrid bombings have prompted fierce debate in Germany about security measures, with the opposition calling for airport-style security to be introduced at railway stations across the country.
The German government rejects this as impractical, and says it has beefed up security in other ways.
It has also insisted that the Schengen Agreement, which allows travel between many EU members without border checks, should remain in place.
London alert
Elsewhere in Europe, security is being tightened.
Undercover anti-terrorist police are patrolling the public transport system in London for the first time.
Passengers using underground trains in London now face random checks and searches.
Posters have been put up in the city's transport terminals, urging the public to report anything suspicious.
Police said the measures - announced on Monday - had been planned for some time and were not triggered by the Spain attacks.
Spanish reversal
Spain's new leader-in-waiting, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, has also asserted his commitment to fighting terror - though observers say his approach will differ markedly from that of the outgoing government.
Spain's conservative rulers were voted out of office on Sunday amid public anger at their handling of the Madrid bombings.
Mr Zapatero has already said he may withdraw Spanish troops serving in Iraq unless the United Nations is put in charge there.
Mr Zapatero said President Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair needed to "engage in some self-criticism" over their decision to invade Iraq.
Al-Qaeda angle
Spanish police are holding three Moroccans and two Indians in connection with the attacks.
The three Moroccans being held have been named as Jamal Zougam, 30, Mohamed Bekkali, 31, and Mohamed Chaoui, 34.
The two Indians arrested were named as Vinay Kohly and Suresh Kumar.
Spain's El Pais newspaper reported that investigators had found links between Jamal Zougam and the Salafia Jihadia group held responsible for attacks in Casablanca last May in which more than 40 people died.
Reports also linked Jamal Zougam to a Spanish cell of al-Qaeda which was headed by Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, also known as "Abu Dahdah".
Abu Dahdah has been indicted by the Spanish anti-terrorist prosecutor Baltasar Garzon on charges relating to the preparation of the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States.
El Pais said Jamal Zougam was cited at two points in judge Garzon's indictment, but was not charged.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/3510968.stm
Published: 2004/03/15 19:13:49 GMT
© BBC MMIV
Posted by Andrew Becker at March 15, 2004 11:23 AMIt seems Spain and other EU states will come to realize that they can't rely on the US to protect them, reaffirming the need for some kind of international consensus to deal with terrorism of all forms: domestic and foreign.
Posted by: Roya at March 15, 2004 05:16 PM