Terrorist attacks in Spain.

I'm sorry to ruin all of your breakfasts, but this looked to be important: 131 People Killed in Madrid Explosions

MADRID, Spain - Powerful explosions rocked three Madrid train stations Thursday just three days before Spain's general elections, killing 131 rush-hour commuters and wounding more than 400 in what officials called the deadliest attack ever by the Basque separatist group ETA.

However, ETA did not claim responsbility for the attacks and did not phone in a warning - the latter being something that it apparently often does. Whether this represents a change in methodology, a mis-'crediting' of the bombs' originators or something else remains to be seen. I am expert in neither the Basque separatist movement nor its issues, to put it mildly.

UPDATE: Longtime reader Jesurglisac provided some links in comments; they have since been made not so much obsolete as incomplete by events, but they're still useful for a crash course in Basque separatism. There is now some suggestion that this was an al-Qaida attack: we'll know more eventually.

Comments

[Jesurgislac]

I don't know much about Eta - but if it's them responsible, this is a very horrible step upwards from their previous bombings. (Largest number previously killed was 21, a supermarket bombing.) It's possible, I suppose, that the bombs were being transported by train for use somewhere else - I haven't (yet) seen any report about where they were.

Apparently, nationwide protests are expected against Eta tomorrow evening - it will be interesting to see if this includes the Basque region.

I found a basic factsheet, and another here from a different slant, and what looks like a pro-ETA website. Note that I haven't read any of these websites in full as yet: it's just that when I hear about something like this, my first instinct is to do research. It doesn't mean I don't think it's a terrible thing - but something in me is yelling "Information! I want more information!" and I must feed it, dammit. Ignorance makes me feel worse.

[Edward]

Freaking mindless bastards...

I had misunderstood the ceasefire the ETA declared earlier as more than just in Catalonia, so this came as a shocking surprise...several of my best friends just returned from the art fair in Madrid...and we're a bit concerned about friends who live there (no word yet)

there is also this,

Arnold Otegi, leader of Batasuna, an outlawed Basque party linked to the armed separatist group, denied it was behind the blasts and suggested "Arab resistance" elements were responsible, suggesting Al Qaeda.

I have to admit, Spain's role in the Iraq invasion made this my first thought as well, but Spain's Interior Minister said he has no doubt it's the ETA....

[von]

I have to admit, Spain's role in the Iraq invasion made this my first thought as well, but Spain's Interior Minister said he has no doubt it's the ETA....

I thought this as well, but, apparently, there's some circumstantial evidence linking the ETA to the blast: The ETA had promised violence before the upcoming Spanish elections, and Police recently caught ETA members trying to smuggle 1000+ pounds of explosives into Madrid.

(All from my NPR-drive this morning. Damn you for forcing me to drive, medium-sized-midwestern town without an El (I miss you, Chicago).)