Covering the War on Terror

San Millan responds to Madrid attacks

J298 student Veronica San Millan is from Spain. In this blog, she gives her analysis of the attacks and the political aftermath.

Excerpt:

Right after the bombing, which costed 200 deaths as of today, ETA was sentenced as responsible for the attacks. Why? For the past 40 years this has been a habit.

But people were skeptical of whether or not ETA was involved. This terrorist attack was not ETA’s style and during the last year more than 200 people related to the organization had been captured. Therefore, it was really hard to believe that ETA had the capacity and infrastructure to perform an attack like 11M.

SPAIN BEFORE 11M
Before the terrorist attacks happened, the election estimations pointed to PP (Partido Popular- “central”-right wing party) as the winners with absolute majority again (it would be their third presidency in a row). Those voting for PP would have supported increased employment rates, improvement in the economy and a very harsh anti-terrorist policy towards the Bask country, historically, the only major threat posed to Spain. The Bask terrorist organization: ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna) claims the independence of the territory which was a main target during Franco’s regime.

PP’s opponents reject the abuse of power and its unilateral decisions. PP cut the budget for social services, increased the price of housing and centralized the powers, degradating the autonomic competences (equal to state power). This was for some already enough to desire a change, but then in November 2002 PP made an awful decision regarding the Prestige Case; a petrol cargo boat that sank in the Spanish Atlantic coast and affected the marine life and the fish market of a vast zone. But the climax for the opposition was achieved when the Government decided to become an ally of Bush’s campaign against Iraq. The gigantic demonstrations by the people of Spain and the disagreement of the Parliament was not enough to prevent J.M. Aznar of being in Bush’s VIP group of friends and hopefully gaining a piece of the pie with the reconstruction of the country

SPAIN IN 11M
Right after the bombing, which costed 200 deaths as of today, ETA was sentenced as responsible for the attacks. Why? For the past 40 years this has been a habit.

But people were skeptical of whether or not ETA was involved. This terrorist attack was not ETA’s style and during the last year more than 200 people related to the organization had been captured. Therefore, it was really hard to believe that ETA had the capacity and infrastructure to perform an attack like 11M.

However, president Aznar appeared on TV claiming that it was ETA who had performed the attacks. Even the King Juan Carlos (who hadn’t made an appearance since the unsuccessful coup d’etat of 1981) expressed his condemnation to the terrorist attack, also making a special reference to the Bask separatist issue.

People began taking to the streets and I thought to myself: Four more years of PP because it has been the strongest party against ETA and people feel safer by electing them.

But everything turned upside-down with the unreliable evidence found in a van close to one of the stations where one of the trains exploded. A videotape with verses of Al Quran and some Arabic scripts were found. It was not very significant proof, but it opened a new door: The possibility of it having been the attack of an Extremist Islamic Organization, which people translate into being Al Qaeda, which people then relate with the War in Iraq, and people then wonder: Why did we put ourselves in other’s business? And suddenly we realize, well, we didn’t, Aznar did.

SPAIN BETWEEN 11M AND 14M
The first 24 hours after the bombings was a time of confusion and emotions, but regardless, there is not excuse for misinformation. The Spanish Government manipulated conspired and occulted information. They continued pointing ETA as target number one, even after the letter sent to Al Qud in which an unknown Islamic group assumed responsibility for the acts. And even after an anonymous voice from ETA called to TeleMadrid TV station to refute PP’s accusation and sent two letters to the Gara newspaper, the publication they usually get in touch with to confirm their responsibility of terrorist attacks, PP still accused ETA of committing the attacks.

The Government was not only being dishonest to those families who had lost loved ones, but also denying the truth to a whole country. People started taking to the streets again to demand the truth from Aznar before casting their vote. When five people were arrested because of a possible link to the attacks PP couldn’t hide the truth anymore, even if it meant losing the elections.

THE DETAINEDS:
Three Moroccans: Jamal Zougam, Mohamad Bekkali and Mohamed Chaoui, appear in recorded conversations from Al Qaeda cells in Spain and might possibly be related to the attacks on 9/11.
Two Spanish of Indian origin: Vinay Kohly and Suresh Kuma, whose names were related to the cell phone cards left in the bag where the bomb that didn’t explode was located.
To these men who have already been captured and to those who will be in the coming months of investigation, the “Parties Law” will be applied. The Parties Law was approved in 2002 by the attorney super hero Baltasar Garzon. The law essentially persecutes and removes the parties that might be a threat to the Constitution. But in the cases that follow 11M, the time of interrogation and detention will increase up to 5 days without a warrant.

THE EXPECTED CHANGE OF 14M
The night before 14M I went to sleep with the resignation of the fact that many people in my country cared more about their growing bank accounts than about social justice. But I hoped that the bloody images on TV and the solidarity people had with the innocent civilians and their families would awake people’s consciousness to vote against an unfair government that perpetuates the inequalities and only seeks international popularity. Unfortunately 200 dead and 1500 injured people were needed for this awakening to happen. But 14M was a day full of hope for Spain and the rest of the world too. Change is possible and the goals for social justice are now closer with a socialist government in power. But there is still a lot to work ahead of us.

By Shahin S. Shamsabadi, March 16, 2004 12:59 PM

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