Madrid bombing

[Tear]

News (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3503676.stm)

Thats horrible..I just heard of it on the news now

[Droo]

And I was going to be at that very train station today, I'm glad I cancelled my vacation after all. Scary as hell.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

:hug

That's horrible...:x I still can't understand people who do this to other people.

[Razielle Shadana]

:mad

I find myself wishing violence on them. But that would be falling in with their plans, eh?

[Darth Viscera]

I think that it would be falling in line with Al Qaeda's plans a bit more if you didn't wish violence on them.

I am very glad that they didn't manage to get Dru :| still very saddening that they inflicted 1,600 casualties though. What's mysterious is whether or not this was Al Qaeda, and if it was Al Qaeda, that could imply that they have some degree of a tactical infrastruture in place in western europe, which would be highly disconcerting and somewhat destabilising.

[Tiberius Anar]

Well looking at the TV news here we have two different stories.

1. Before the tape was found, about 19.30 over here, the reporters were saying "All the hallmarks of ETA". And they were discounting Al Qaeda because they did not immediately claim responsibility as they have done in the past.

2. Once the tape was found they started saying "All the hallmarks of Al Queda" for the exact same reasons that five minutes before had made it an ETA attack.

My thought is this:

Problem is that the attack does not seem typical of either group. ETA has a history of attacking important symbols- the Prime Minister and other leaders for example. They have not usually gone after civillians on such a scale nor so indiscriminately. They have usually given warning. Al Quaeda has typically gone for the big targets (civillian or otherwise) with no prior warning and have claimed responsibility immediately. This attack has something of both groups about it.

The Spanish Government is suggesting it was ETA either:

a. Because there is evidence for it. (the explosives used)

b. Because that is the automatic assumption. (Much like bombing in Ireland or mainland Britain was always assumed to be the IRA).

The rest of the world is suggesting that it is Al Quaeda because:

a. There is evidence for it. (the target)

b. It is the automatic assumption post 11th September.

[AmazonBabe]

I had a horrible freak-out session as I have several relatives in Spain. Then remembered most if not all are in Seville.

[Brian]

My heart goes out to the Spanish who lost loved ones in this tragedy. I've felt the fear of terrorism three times in my life, and I know what it's like.

Edit: Hey Dru, that's kinda how I felt back during the big sniper fiasco, except it was a lot worse. Count your blessings you're not there right now, man, because that kind of fear is horrible.

[Darth Viscera]

oh god, the sniper. i was walking in zig-zags for 3 weeks :(

[Brian]

Tell me about it. I had to drive downtown and back three days a week just to get to college, and I was there until almost ten at night. It wasn't bad at first, but then there was a well-publicized incident at a gas station very very close to me (turned out later to have nothing to do with the snipers at all). From that point until the snipers were caught , it was white knuckles the entire drive, trying never to be beside another car, hurrying from place to place on foot...